Lead Medical Support Assistant - Referral Coordination Team

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 48,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

The Lead Medical Support Assistant (MSA) will oversee the Referral Coordination Team (RCT) within the VA, coordinating clinical and support staff to streamline referrals and ensure veterans receive complete care options. They will assign work, monitor staffing, and train staff as needed.

Requires a high school diploma or equivalent and at least one year of experience at GS-6 level; English proficiency is essential for this role.

Qualifications

• High school diploma, GED, or state proficiency certificate.
• One year of experience equivalent to GS-6 is required (experience may be substituted by grandfathering provisions).
• Proficiency in spoken and written English is required.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate daily MSA assignments and workflow within the team.
• Schedule appointments accurately and ensure staffing coverage.
• Provide guidance on new policies and procedures to staff.
• Serve as liaison among staff, patients, and interdisciplinary teams to resolve conflicts.

Skills

Advanced medical terminology

Interdisciplinary coordination

Staff development & training

Staff scheduling & workload planning

Clear communication

Workflow management

Education

High school diploma / GED

Tools

Electronic health records (EHR)

Job description

Incumbent serves as a Lead Medical Support Assistant (MSA) who is assigned to perform general Lead MSA duties within the Referral Coordination Team (RCT). The RCT consists of dedicated clinical staff and clinical support staff whose primary goal is to streamline the referral process to ensure that every Veteran has a complete picture of their care options so he/she can make the most informed care decisions and schedule their appointment in VA or the community. 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

• 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. No experience required.
• 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).

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 Requirements

Lead Medical Support Assistant - GS-6

Experience

One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level, Examples of experience may include:

Assignment

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.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:

• 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.
• 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.

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

You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.