Lead Medical Support Assistant - Clinical Contact Center

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; New Orleans (LA); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The Lead Medical Support Assistant position within the Medical Administration Service of the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System in New Orleans requires leading clinical support and coordinating access to care across multiple clinics and specialties.

Role emphasizes staff supervision, workload management, and ensuring timely scheduling while collaborating with interdisciplinary care teams to deliver high-quality patient services.

Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology and clinical flow processes across clinics and specialties.
• Ability to coordinate with interdisciplinary care teams to ensure timely access to care.
• Ability to use advanced patient systems to support multiple clinics and follow up on care.

Responsibilities

• Lead Medical Support Assistant duties including staff coordination and workload management.
• Coordinate appointment availability and scheduling across clinics.
• Provide guidance and training to staff and ensure policy adherence.
• Act as liaison between MSA staff, patients, and interdisciplinary teams to resolve issues.

Skills

Medical terminology

Interdisciplinary coordination

Communication

Systems navigation

Staff development

Prioritization and delegation

Workflow management

Education

High school diploma / GED

Tools

Advanced patient systems

Job description

This Lead Medical Support Assistant works for the Medical Administration Service in a VISN Clinical Contact Center (CCC) of the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System located in New Orleans, Louisiana as part of an interprofessional healthcare team providing leadership to Medical Support Assistants.

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: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
• 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. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)

Grandfathering Provision. 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 (GS-06).

At the GS-06 grade level, the Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), performs difficult and specialized administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. Work involves specialized administrative judgment and the flexible use of a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or care in the community resources. They use numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics involved in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. They coordinate with the patient care team to review clinic appointment availability to ensure that clinic schedules are closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinics and adjust as necessary. They efficiently communicate with the patient, interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies (e.g., assist with communications during the inpatient to outpatient discharge; communicate with non-VA medical facilities; prepare correspondence to notify patients of normal lab results; manage a system for follow-up care such as consults, tests, etc.).

OR

At the GS-06 grade level, the Lead Medical Support Assistant spends at least 25% of their time performing lead duties. The Lead MSA is responsible for answering questions for lower graded staff relating to health care services in an inpatient or outpatient setting. They monitor and make work assignments, provide input on performance, resolve daily workplace issues, and maintain efficient workflow. Assignments include, but are not limited to: assuring coverage of all areas of responsibility; conducting ongoing reviews to ensure quality of work; ensuring accurate and timely scheduling of appointments; providing 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; ensuring all training requirements are met; organizing the work structure of his/her assigned areas; and acting as a liaison between MSA and staff to resolve day to day conflicts.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (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.

Assignment.

For all Lead assignments the Lead MSA must spend at least 25% or more of their time performing lead duties. The Lead MSA is responsible for the coordination of Advanced MSA assignments and workflow found in an interdisciplinary unit. The Lead MSA is responsible for daily workload assessments, assigning work, and assuring proper staffing coverage; evaluating training records; and determining training needs of MSAs to provide support across interdisciplinary settings. The Lead assists 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. Assignments at this level include but are not limited to 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; and acting as a liaison among Advanced MSA staff, patients, and other interdisciplinary staff to resolve day-to-day conflicts.

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.

Physical Requirements.

Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment.

Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations