Medical Support Assistant

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Birmingham (AL); On-site; USD 38,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs seeks a Medical Support Assistant to handle front desk duties, scheduling, and navigation of patient records in a clinic setting.

The role requires proficiency with scheduling systems, patient data entry, and professional communication with patients and staff. Entry-level positions are described with progression in duties and independence as you gain experience, including coordination of transfers and referrals, and ensuring accuracy of patient information and

Qualifications

• Experience with clerical, office, or administrative work demonstrating ability to learn VA processes.
• Ability to communicate with diverse individuals in a courteous, professional manner.
• Ability to enter and retrieve information using computer systems and scheduling tools.

Responsibilities

• Perform front desk duties, answer phones, and greet patients.
• Schedule, cancel, and reschedule patient appointments per scheduling guidelines.
• Verify demographics and insurance information; assist with medical records and data entry.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Computer systems navigation

Education

1 year above high school

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Electronic health records (EHR) systems

Insurance Capture Buffer (ICB) system

Job description

The purpose of this position is to serve as a Medical Support Assistant assigned to the Medical and Surgical Wards/Units. The incumbent will be communicating with people from various backgrounds and must be able to use professional courtesy and tactfulness when processing the telephone calls and requests for scheduling and is responsible for managing administrative processes for admission, discharge and general operations for the assigned unit(s).

Basic Requirements

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Experience: Six months experience in clerical, office or other work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position; OR,
• Education: One year above high school; OR combination of experience and education for entry level.
• English Language Proficiency: MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.

Grade Determinations

In addition to basic requirements listed above, the following education and experience criteria must be met when determining candidate grades. Candidates must demonstrate all Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's) according to grade level. Current VHA employees may qualify by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation.

GS-3: Experience or Education.

None beyond the basic requirements.

Assignment.

This is an entry level MSA position. MSAs at this level receive guidance from more experienced staff members and require frequent and direct supervision. MSAs apply general rules and policies relating to clinic functions, staff, and automated data processing methods in support of treatment to patients. They utilize a variety of patient data systems in scheduling patients for treatment and annotates patient records. They perform front desk duties, receive telephone calls and visitors to the MSA unit. They make and cancel appointments, review patient records for necessary information, and review patient demographics and insurance verification. They consult with clinic staff when processing physician scheduling and administrative orders.

Demonstrated KSA's

1. Ability to meet, communicate, and interact with individuals in a courteous and helpful manner in order to give instructions and arrange appointments.
2. Ability to utilize computer systems to enter administrative data in patient systems.
3. Ability to learn and utilize basic medical terminology to record patient messages and physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care.

GS-4: Experience.

One year of experience in clerical, office, customer service, or other administrative work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position. OR,

GS-4: Education.

Two years of education above high school.

GS-4: Assignment.

This is a developmental level MSA position. It is expected that MSAs at this level receive minor and less frequent guidance from higher experienced staff members for more difficult tasks. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: scheduling and rescheduling patients for treatment; interviewing patients for appointments; referring patients to other medical specialty clinics; providing information to patients necessary to resolve VA Handbook complaints; interacting with both internal and external customers; reviewing and documenting medical outpatient and inpatient electronic health records, as well as administrative records; verifying third party insurance and updating information in the Insurance Capture Buffer (ICB) system; obtaining medical information from patients; coordinating information and actions related to patient care and services; and scheduling appointments in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. MSAs at this level refer all questions regarding medical attention to the appropriate health care team member.

Demonstrated KSA's

1. Ability to meet, communicate, and interact with individuals from varying backgrounds and other health care team members in a courteous and helpful manner in order to facilitate medical care for patients
2. Ability to use, and navigate between, various types of office automation equipment and software (i.e. computer systems, web based scheduling programs; insurance collection system; scanning software, multiple line phone systems; electronic faxing programs) to support patient care
3. Knowledge of basic medical terminology to assist in the provision of care to patients
4. Skill in recording patient messages and understanding physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care in internal or external clinics.

GS-5: Experience.

One year of experience equivalent to the GS-4 grade level. OR,

GS-5: Education.

Four years of education above high school.

GS-5: Assignment.

This is the full performance level for MSAs. At this level, the MSA independently performs a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes. The MSA is responsible for answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit, scheduling appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults; entering no-show information; monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic sources; participating in huddles with other MSAs and/or clinic staff to determine the daily needs of the clinic, monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility; verifying and updating demographics and insurance information when patients check-in for appointments. Coordinates administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals and determines appointment type based on the patient's eligibility status (i.e., TRICARE, sharing agreements, collaterals, research patient, VA employee, etc.).

Demonstrated KSA's

1. Ability to operate computerized programs and systems to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient identifying information (PII) into or from electronic health records, scheduling systems, and/or reports.
2. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients.
3. Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting.
4. Ability to work independently to accomplish a wide variety of duties performing patient support work.
5. Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone, with internal and external customers.
6. Skill in customer service, ability to identify customer concerns and refer to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution.

Creditable Experience (1) Knowledge of MSA Practices

To be creditable, experience must have demonstrated the KSAs associated with current MSA responsibilities or an equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as an MSA or an equivalent position in a non-VA hospital or clinic setting.

(2) Quality of Experience.

Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience or equivalent administrative clinical support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting at the next lower grade level. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty), and range of varieties described at the specified grade level and performed at least 25% of the time.

(3) Part-Time Experience.

Part-time experience as an MSA or equivalent administrative patient support in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, an MSA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive one full-time workweek of credit for each two weeks of service.