LEAD MEDICAL SUPPORT ASSISTANT

VA Detroit; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 45,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

A federal healthcare system in Tucson seeks a Lead Medical Support Assistant for the Mental Health Department. The role includes overseeing administrative tasks, scheduling appointments, and training staff, emphasizing leadership and problem-solving skills within a clinical setting.

Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Six months of clerical or office experience required.
• Proficient in written and spoken English.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily assignments and monitor workflow for MSAs.
• Manage scheduling and provide training for new employees.
• Handle administrative duties related to community care referrals.

Skills

Leadership

Organizational Skills

Communication

Problem Solving

Medical Terminology Knowledge

Interpersonal Skills

Job description

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Summary

The Southern Arizona VA Health Care System is currently recruiting Lead Medical Support Assistant for the Mental Health Department. The Lead Medical Support Assistant within this department demonstrates the ability to effectively plan, organize and execute a wide range of responsibilities and interactions with staff and patients in a variety of clinical settings.

Internal to SAVAHCS Mental Health Department Only.

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Summary

The Southern Arizona VA Health Care System is currently recruiting Lead Medical Support Assistant for the Mental Health Department. The Lead Medical Support Assistant within this department demonstrates the ability to effectively plan, organize and execute a wide range of responsibilities and interactions with staff and patients in a variety of clinical settings. Internal to SAVAHCS Mental Health Department Only.

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Duties

• The Lead MSA has the responsibility of making daily assignments for the MSAs and receives little guidance from the manager. The lead MSA makes assignments by defining the overall objectives, priorities, and deadlines and assists with unusual situations that do not have clear precedents. The Lead MSA independently plans the work, resolves problems, carries out successive steps of assignments, and makes adjustments using accepted standard operating procedures or practice, handles problems and/or deviations that arise in accordance with established policies, regulatory and administrative guidelines, directives, instructions, and accepted practices in the occupation and refers new or unusual issues with recommendations to the supervisor for direction and/or assistance. The Lead MSA reviews completed work for results achieved, technical soundness, and conformance with applicable regulations, policies, and requirements.
• The Lead MSA monitors and makes work assignments, provides input on performance, resolves daily workplace issues, and maintains efficient workflow.
• Assignments include, but are not limited to: ensure coverage of all areas of responsibility; conduct ongoing reviews to ensure quality of work; ensure accurate and timely scheduling of appointments; provide guidance to staff members, to include changes in policies and procedures; distribute and balance workload; create and maintain employee work schedules; orient and provide on-the-job training for new and current employees; ensure all training requirements are met; organize the work structure of his/her assigned areas; and act as liaison between MSA and facility staff in order to resolve day to day conflicts.
• The primary purpose is to lead the administrative functions and activities in CMC. The performs administrative duties associated with community care referrals. The lead has administrative independence to monitor and makes work assignments, provide input on performance, develop Lead Advanced Medical Support Assistant standardized operating procedures, develop and provide staff training, resolve daily workplace issues and maintain efficient workflow. The support provided relieves the Service Line Manager, Supervisory Program Specialist, RN Manager and Midlevel providers in the CMC Service Line of routine administrative tasks. Incumbent is considered to be an authority, as Lead, by staff and providers within and outside the Service Line, as well as by employee and Veterans. Advises regarding governing regulations for process of community care referrals. Duties include database management and data extraction and manipulation.
• Responsible for scheduling appointments; including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. Other assignments include, but are not limited to: scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient's appointments and/or consults; monitor both inpatient and outpatient appointments for areas of responsibility; verify and update demographics and insurance information; process all emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals.
• Monitor and make work assignments
• Provide input on performance
• Resolve daily workplace issues and maintain efficient workflow
• Assure coverage of all areas of responsibility
• Ensure accurate and timely scheduling of appointments
• Provide guidance to staff members to include changes in policies and procedures
• Distributing and balancing workload
• Creating and maintaining employee work schedules
• Orienting and providing on-the-job training for new and current employees
• Act as liaison between MSA and staff to resolve day-to-day conflicts
• Comply with mandatory training requirements for the outpatient scheduling process.
• 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.
• Knowledge to be able to step in any MSA position in the service line.
• May be asked to perform administrative duties of the Supervisor in his/her absence.
  
  

Work Schedule: Full-Time, M-F; 0730-1600 or 0800-1630 (subject to change to meet the program's needs).

Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized

Telework: This position is NOT telework eligible

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
  
  

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, .Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Experience: Six months experience of clerical, office or other work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position.
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English.
  
  

Grade Determinations: GS-7 Lead Medical Support Assistant.

Specialized Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-7 grade level requires a minimum of one (1) year experience at the next lower grade level (GS-6). Equivalent experience includes: Assigning daily workload assessments and assuring proper staffing coverage; evaluating training records; and determining training needs of MSAs to provide support across interdisciplinary settings. Assisting the unit with complex and non-standard procedures, including clinical flow processes related to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community resources. Ensuring accurate and timely scheduling of appointments; providing guidance to staff members, to include changes in policies and procedures; creating and maintaining employee work schedules; acting as a liaison among Advanced MSA staff, patients, and other interdisciplinary staff to resolve day-to-day conflicts. (must be in resume)

In addition, you must have experience which demonstrates the following knowledge, skills and abilities:

• 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 resources.
• 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.
• Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect [and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff.
• 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.
  
  

References: VA Handbook 5005/117, Part II Appendix G45, Medical Support Assistant http://vaww.va.gov/ohrm/Directives-Handbooks/Documents/5005.pdf

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary with prolonged periods of sitting. The work requires moderate lifting, carrying, pushing, standing; reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; ability to read without strain; ability to hear the whispered voice with or without hearing aid; emotional & mental stability.

Education

There are no Education Substitutions for the Grade GS-7.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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• Help Help A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

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Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume
  
  

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript
  
  

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Health Care Provider

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