LEAD MEDICAL SUPPORT ASSISTANT

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Montrose (NY); On-site; USD 52,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Lead Medical Support Assistant for Outpatient Services. The role requires initiative in routine tasks and escalation for deviations or unfamiliar issues to supervision.

The incumbent will lead scheduling and clerical activities across clinics, ensuring accuracy and patient readiness, while training staff and maintaining VA process compliance. The position involves extensive use of VA scheduling software and patient data systems, with a focus on

Qualifications

• Lead MSA role requires knowledge of medical terminology and clinic flow processes.
• Experience coordinating with interdisciplinary care teams and scheduling.
• Ability to use multiple patient systems in a multi-clinic setting.
• Ability to organize, prioritize, and delegate tasks to meet deadlines.
• Ability to train and develop staff and manage workflow priorities.

Responsibilities

• Schedule patient care for clinical programs at the VA Medical Center.
• Provide educational sessions to train new clerical staff.
• Ensure readiness for patient visits by following VA policies and processes.
• Monitor clinic access to care and ICB usage for timely insurance collection.
• Stay updated on regulations, directives, software patches, and processes.
• Assist with EARR cleanup and clinic profile management.
• Screen calls and provide information per privacy rules and clinic processes.
• Prepare correspondence and memos as needed.
• Stock basic office supplies for clinical/administrative areas.
• Enter vets seeking emergent/urgent care and schedule appointments accurately.
• Pre-register veterans prior to scheduled appointments via call lists.
• Update patient demographics and communicate with patients appropriately.
• Ensure correct VA forms are used and regulations followed.
• Identify education and training needs of staff and evaluate scheduling practices.
• Orient and train new/current employees; adjust workflow as needed.
• Maintain a professional front-line role and ensure quality perception of healthcare services.

Skills

Advanced medical terminology

Interdisciplinary coordination

Staff development

Workflow management

Customer service

Education

High school diploma / GED

Tools

BMS

VISTA

VSE

CPRS

Vetlink

Kiosk

HealtheConnections

ISS

VAR

MHV

VSSC

Job description

Summary

The incumbent serves as the Lead Medical Support Assistant for Outpatient Services. He/She uses initiative in completing recurring assignments independently and without specific instructions - but refers deviations - problems - and unfamiliar situations to the supervisor for assistance.

Summary

The incumbent serves as the Lead Medical Support Assistant for Outpatient Services. He/She uses initiative in completing recurring assignments independently and without specific instructions - but refers deviations - problems - and unfamiliar situations to the supervisor for assistance.

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
• 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: 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: (a) 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
• (b) Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff
• (c) Ability to utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting
• (d) Ability to organize work - set priorities - and delegate tasks/responsibilities in order to meet deadlines
• (e) Ability to provide staff development and training
• (f) 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
• 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-05
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-07 Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C.
• 7403(f).

Duties

• The Lead MSA performs a variety of administrative functions associated with the scheduling of patient care for the clinical programs at VA Medical Center
• The incumbent: a
• Provides educational sessions to train new employees in clerical process in an efficient and effective manner to ensure that clerical processes - functions and goals are understood and met
• b
• Must have knowledge of VA policies - regulations - guidelines and process as they relate to the scheduling of patient appointments - consults - NEAR - and pre-appointment clinical requirements (i.e labs - EKGs - XRay - etc.) to ensure readiness for the patient visit
• c
• Monitors clinic's access to care
• d
• Monitors ICB usage ensuring insurance is collected at time of appointments and captured approximately by the incumbent and other scheduling staff
• e
• Must keep abreast of rapidly changing regulations - directives - software patches - programs and processes involved in the delivery of the healthcare benefits package
• f
• Assist with the clean up of the EARR (Encounter Action Required Report) and supports clinics regarding utilization and clinic profile management - i.e set up of clinic grids - cancel and restore clinics
• g
• Screens/receive phone calls in a courteous and timely manner - determined the nature of request and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processes h
• Prepares correspondence and memos as needed i
• Stocks basic office supplies for the clinical/administrative areas
• j
• Enters Veterans seeking emergent/urgent care - scheduling appointments accurately
• k
• Utilizes call list and telephones Veterans to pre-register them prior to their scheduled appointments
• Incumbent updates all patient demographics
• I
• Communicates and interacts with patients in a manner which is appropriate to cognitive - emotional - and chronological maturation needs of the adult and/or geriatric patient
• m
• Assures that all appropriate VA forms are used correctly - and regulations followed
• n
• Additional duties or tasks may be assigned by the supervisor to ensure efficient daily operations
• The incumbents oversees the status of work for all lower grade MSA positions working in various clinics - makes day-to-day adjustments in accordance with established priorities - obtaining assistance from the supervisor on problems that may arise - such a backlogs which cannot de disposed of promptly
• Able to resolve workplace issues - simple informational complaints of employees - referring others to supervisor for resolution
• Incumbent will conduct ongoing audits to ensure quality of work for accurate and timely scheduling of appointments
• Recognizes and refers sub-standard performance or sub-standard behavior to supervisor on MSA performance and behaviors
• Identifies education and training needs of staff and evaluating scheduling practices
• Makes recommendation for reassignments - recognition for outstanding performance and other personnel needs
• Orienting and providing on the job training for new and current employees
• As a front-line contact with patients and staff - in the scheduling role - incumbent sets the tone for perception concerning quality of healthcare services at the VA and will show a high degree of tact and diplomacy when dealing with Veterans who have multiple health problems and who may be frustrated with the administrative process associate with diagnosis and treatment
• The incumbent supports patient safety standards using appropriate standards of identification validation
• The incumbent must ensure preregistration is completed and collects - scans and updates health insurance information serving a major role in the revenue process and possess superb telephone etiquette utilizing the standardized telephone greeting while ensuring other frontline staff is as well
• The incumbent must have the ability to learn the technical competency in the use of BMS - VISTA - VSE - CPRS - ICB Scanners - Vetlink - Kiosk - HealtheConnections - ISS - VAR - MHV - VSSC and all scheduling software
• Must provide excellent customer service and have an advanced understanding of medical terminology - medical administrative practices - patient consult processes - patient scheduling procedures - medical record system - Privacy Act - HIPPA rules and the Freedom Act as they relate to the handling of confidential and sensitive patient information
• Incumbent must possess knowledge of clinic processes and service to interact with various clinic staff members
• This employee must have working understanding of National performance measures and monitors - particularly in relation to no shows - appointment cancellations - new patient scheduling - consult management and management of returning patients
• Maintains current knowledge of procedures - policies - guidelines - etc
• to be able to answer questions or obtain needed information to make an informed decision
• Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m - 4:00 p.m
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 12560F