Lead Medical Support Assistant

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Greenville (SC); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off (13-26 days per year)

Federal health benefits

Retirement plan

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in South Carolina seeks a Lead Medical Support Assistant (MSA) to support outpatient clinics across Columbia, Greenville, Sumter, and other VA sites.

Responsibilities include scheduling, patient data management, and coordinating with interdisciplinary teams to ensure timely care. The role emphasizes front-line patient contact, adherence to HIPAA, and workflow optimization within VA guidelines.

Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship requirement as per VA policy.
• English language proficiency for spoken and written communication.
• Grade level GS-07 criteria and KSAs must be demonstrated.
• Experience: One year of creditable experience or equivalent.
• Education: high school diploma or GED or equivalent.
• May qualify under Grandfathering Provision for current VA staff.

Responsibilities

• Schedule appointments per VHA directives, including cancellations and no-shows.
• Verify and update patient demographics and insurance data.
• Monitor ISS/CPRS workflows and sign off on notes daily.
• Ensure completion of patient encounters by end of business day.
• Track consults and returns to clinic orders and coordinate with providers.
• Provide feedback to providers for scheduling needs and follow-up.
• Extract medical information from electronic records for education purposes.

Skills

Medical terminology

Interdisciplinary coordination

System navigation (ISS)

Patient data management

Staff training & development

Workflow prioritization

Customer service orientation

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

ICB Web

Integrated Scheduling Solutions (ISS)

CPRS

Vet Link

Job description

Summary

The incumbent is assigned to the Patient Administration Section of the Business Office at the Columbia VA Healthcare System at the following locations: Columbia - Greenville - Sumter - Orangeburg - Spartanburg - Rock Hill - Anderson - and Florence County. Patient Administration is responsible for the administrative support of clinical services to include Primary Care and various Specialty Clinics located in the Community Based Outpatient Clinics.

Qualifications

• 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: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C.
• 7403(f)
• 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
• 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)
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - candidates must meet the following grade-determining criteria for placement at grade levels specified
• Lead Medical Support Assistant - GS-07
• Experience
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade
• Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to meeting the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Advanced knowledge of medical terminology and a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics - specialties - and/or community
• Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff
• Ability to utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting
• Ability to organize work - set priorities - and delegate tasks/responsibilities in order to meet deadlines
• Ability to provide staff development and training
• Ability to manage staffing requirements - manage workflow priorities - and adjust the flow of work to meet team and patient needs
• This includes the ability to follow-up on pending issues and demonstrate an understanding of the impact of incomplete work across multiple clinics
• Preferred Experience: None
• 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-07
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-07
• Physical Requirements: This work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing - bending - reaching - crouching - stooping - stretching - and lifting moderately heavy items such as manuals - record boxes - equipment or assisting patientsSee https://dvagov.sharepoint.com/sites/OCHCO/SitePages/D5019.aspx VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Duties

• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Medical Support Assistant (MSA) at this grade level is a Lead MSA
• The Lead Medical Support Assistant (MSA) works independently and is considered the chief source of patient information and plays an important role in accomplishing the administrative work within the outpatient clinics by the duties listed below: Scheduling appointments in accordance with VHA Directive 1230 and VHA Directive 1232 (2) including canceling - re-scheduling - and no showing patient appointments and/or consults
• Verify and update patient demographics to include capturing of insurance data via ICB Web
• Ensure clinic assigned staff are taking appropriate patient actions within ISS (Integrated Scheduling Solutions) (scheduling - check-in - check-out - and no-shows) and in CPRS (clearing/reviewing alerts and signing off on notes entered) daily
• Ensuring patient encounters are completed for clinics assigned by the end of each business day (no-shows and patient cancellations through AudioCare - VeText - ISS - CTM etc.)
• Ensuring that consults greater than 90 days have proper documentation for additional scheduling attempts or dispositioning directed by the provider
• Responsible for tracking and management of Consults and Return to Clinic orders for clinics assigned
• Responsible for providing feedback to providers when additional information for scheduling is required
• Extracting medical information from electronic records when requested by Providers - Social Workers - Nurses - and Supervisors for patient education purposes only while maintaining HIPPA standards
• Ensure clinic assigned staff is appropriately monitoring and maintaining the delinquent recall - insurance capture buffer exception list and proper use of Vet Link for clinics assigned
• Receiving and directing patients and visitors - in person and by telephone (ACD) - answering routine inquiries - and making appropriate referral of questions concerning patients' care
• Coordinate patient transportation and/or travel concerns with the Veterans Transportation Service and Bene-Travel staff
• Under the direction of the immediate supervisor - monitor and make daily work assignments - resolve daily workplace issues - and maintain efficient workflow in the clinics assigned
• Complete daily rounds to ensure adequate administrative support coverage in all areas distributing and balancing workload in clinic areas assigned
• Ensures accurate daily posting of employee's time assigned to specific T&L unit
• Complete timely clinic modifications which include but not limited to cancellations - adding additional slots - inactivation's - once approved by the Supervisory Medical Administrative Specialist (Site Manager)
• Provides information of medical center policies and procedures
• Ensures patient safety standards are meet by subordinate staff using the correct Veterans Affairs identification of all patients using two forms of identification
• Collaborate - communicate - and demonstrate customer service and interpersonal skills with all professionals to ensure quality/continuity of care and ensure compliance with established policies and regulations
• Orients and provides on-the-job training for new and current employees as required
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 7:30am - 4:00pm
• Work Schedule is subject to change based on agency need
• Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (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 #: 61766F
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.