Medical Support Assistant

The incumbent serves as a Medical Support Assistant assigned to the Radiology Service. (Washington, DCVAMC). The incumbent's work impacts the administrative aspect of patient care, including access, answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit, scheduling appointments including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with national scheduling guidelines.

Qualifications:

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Experience: None
• Education: High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• Licensure/Certification/Registration. None
• English Language Proficiency. MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.j.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grandfathering Provision. Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of the
qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and
registration/certification where applicable. For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment-specific requirements in this standard but met the
qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:

1. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
2. Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

NOTE: This provision is not intended to regularize appointments/ placements.

Grade Determinations:
GS 03 Requirements

• Experience or Education: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next
  lower grade.

OR

• Education. One year of education above high school

AND

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Knowledge of basic medical terminology to assist in the provision of care to patients.
2. Skill in recording patient messages and understanding physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care in internal or external clinics.
3. Ability to meet, communicate, and interact with individuals from varying backgrounds and other health care team members in a courteous and helpful manner in order to facilitate medical care for patients.
4. Ability to use, and navigate between, various types of office automation equipment and software (i.e., computer systems, web based scheduling programs; insurance collection system; scanning software, multiple line phone systems; electronic faxing programs) to support patient care.

GS 04 Requirements

Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade;

OR

Education. Two years of education above high school.

AND

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients.
2. Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns, and refer to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution.
3. Ability to operate computerized programs and systems in order to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient identifying information (PII) into or from electronic health records, scheduling systems, and/or reports.
4. Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting.
5. Ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work.
6. Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone, with internal and external
7. customers.

GS 05 Requirements

Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.

AND

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process (including, but not limited to, scheduling across interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community models and patient health care portals) as it relates to access to care.
2. Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with Interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community operational activities that affect patient flow, and patient support care administrative functions to include, but not limited to appointment cycles, outside patient referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, provider availability, etc.
3. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.
4. Ability to collaborate and communicate with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines (e.g., medical doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, clinical pharmacists, and nursing staff) to accomplish team goal setting to ensure medical care to patients is met.
5. Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.
6. (Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively, electronically, by phone, in person, and in writing, with internal and external customers. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels, as well as resolving patient concerns.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-5. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-5.

Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Responsibilities:

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Duties

• Ability to work independently, setting priorities, and coordinate work.
• Knowledge of basic medical terminology.
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with persons of all educational backgrounds.
• Acts as a receptionist for the DCV AMC processing incoming and outgoing telephone calls, recording messages from Veterans, family members, in-house clinics, community clinics, transportation etc.
• Directs telephone calls and visitors and communicates information appropriately.
• Processes physicians' orders by identifying priority of STAT and routine orders and takes appropriate action by notifying personnel or services responsible. Seeks clarification of orders when appropriate.
• Promptly and accurately initiates and checks on status of referrals, lab, and imaging procedures.
• Makes numerous calls each day to coordinate information and actions relating to patient care and services. Relays information and requests from the patients and /or clinical services to the treatment team.
• Ensures that transportation/escort services are properly arranged.
• Compiles a consolidated computerized appointment sheet which shows tests, procedures, clinic appointments, therapies etc., for all patients on the unit foreach day of the week.
• Performs miscellaneous duties which may include, but are not limited to obtaining office supplies for the unit, scanning, xeroxing needing medical data, faxing, preparing admission packets, distributing mail to staff and patients, obtaining medical records, and x-rays, etc.
• Files, maintains, and secures medical records as appropriate.
• Pre-Registration, verifying and updating demographics and insurance information.
• Initiating and ensuring completion of work orders for the unit, including messages in VISTA for furniture or key requests for the floor.
• The MSA follows established procedures for scheduling appointments.
• The MSA schedules and arranges patient appointments to avoid conflict of treatment. Next notifies professional staff of appointments pending and any special preparation needs.
• Provides clerical support for the use of the computer contingency plan.
• Assists in training new or less experienced employees.

Work Schedule: 11:30 AM-7:30 PM
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: GS-3 26187F, GS-4 26188F, GS-5 26189F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Salary : $417