Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Full Job Description

The Primary Purpose of the Position is: To perform administrative and clerical support work relating to the care and treatment given to patients of the inpatient units, outpatient clinics, and ancillary support services and at these facilities.

The Organizational Location of the Position is: Health Administration Service, VA North Texas Health Care System (VANTHCS).

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.

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.

Experience and Education: Experience: Six months experience of clerical, office, customer service, or other administrative work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position; OR, Education: One year above high school; OR, Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.

Certification: None required.

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.

All MSAs employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, [which] are [a] part of the basic requirements of the occupation.

For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees may be reassigned, promoted, or [changed to a lower grade] within the occupation.

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.

If an employee who was converted to [Title] 38 hybrid status under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

Grade Determinations: GS-6 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 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.

Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.

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.

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.

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.

Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.

Preferred Experience: Previous Clinical Experience Previous experience scheduling: Appointments, Cancellations, Labs, X-Ray Previous experience providing customer service and resolving informal complaints Previous experience verifying and updating insurance Previous experience working in a team environment Previous experience working independently 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-06.

Physical Requirements: Light lifting, under 15 pounds Light carrying, under 15 pounds Reaching above shoulder Use of fingers Both hands required Walking (2 hours) Standing (2 hours) Repeated bending (2 hours) Both legs required Both eyes required Hearing (aid permitted) Hearing without aid Major Duties:

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties may include but are not limited to: Receives, relays and/or answers incoming and outgoing telephone and electronic messages.

Answers questions such as those dealing with the patient's eligibility for services, availability of appointments, procedures for obtaining an appointment, requests for appointments and/or appointment changes.

Schedules, cancels, reschedules follow-up and/or consult appointments. Performs basic eligibility and copays determinations and preauthorization actions.

Processes emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals. Possess the knowledge and understanding of the guidelines associated with the Electronic Wait List.

Monitors, request, scan, and updates patient insurance information via insurance buffer software (ICB-NTX-live) and or the Pre-registration program.

Providing and instructing comprehensive detailed on the job training to new staff in the inpatient units.

Verifies, updates, and confirms current demographic information, and use of Veteran Scheduling Enhancement (VSE) and/or Veterans Health Information and Technology Architecture (Vista) software packages- preregistration menu when patient's check-in for their scheduled or unscheduled appointment.

Advanced Medical Support Assistant (MSA) performs pre-registration via telephone during pre-appointment and pre-registration calls by proper identification of patients by requesting identifiers such as date of both, next of kin and full social security number.

Prepares and provides patient with travel voucher during or after appointment time.

Resolves informal complaints and responds to request for non-technical information on such subjects as status of reports/laboratory work, suspense dates, hours of operation, how to complete various medical forms, etc.

Ensure encounters are properly addressed and closed within their scope to obtain appropriate workload credit. Reviews VSE open request, appointments, or consults, for closure.

Completes clinic closeout- no actions taken and incomplete check-ins during daily reviews.

Monitors and schedules appointments from clinical consult request within the guidelines of VHA Scheduling Directive.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases 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) 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 #: 50525-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized