Medical Support Assistant

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Dublin (GA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Parental leave

Federal benefits

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Medical Support Assistant (MSA) at the Carl Vision Medical Center. The role involves administrative support, patient scheduling, and handling sensitive medical information in the VistA/CPRS environment.

Candidates must meet basic requirements and KSAs; the full performance level is GS-5 with opportunities for growth and comprehensive federal benefits. Work schedule is Mon-Fri, 8:00am-4:30pm.

Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures.
• Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns and refer to the appropriate staff.
• Ability to operate computerized programs and systems to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient identifying information (PII).

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support to clinical and administrative staff throughout clinic and CBOC areas.
• Coordinate scheduling for diagnostic testing and consultative appointments for many clinical services.
• Ensure compliance with federal privacy regulations and maintain confidentiality of sensitive materials.
• Support eligibility processes and Beneficiary Travel Program as needed.

Skills

Medical terminology

Customer service

Computer skills

Scheduling appointments

Education

High school diploma

Postsecondary education desired

Tools

VistA

VSE/GUI/ISS

CPRS

Job description

Summary

The Medical Support Assistant (MSA) serves as a Medical Support for the Veterans Hospital - has the ability to fully perform the duties/functions related to all aspects of the full performance Medical Support Assistant - GS-0679-05 position at the Carl Vision Medical Center under the Health Administration Service Lines.

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
• English Language Proficiency: Applicants appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English
• Experience: Some experience equivalent to that of an MSA
• OR Education: High school diploma with desire for some post high school education
• 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: Must possess one (1) full year (52 weeks) of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-05)
• Medical Support Assistant - GS-05 : Experience or Education: Experience
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade
• OR - Education
• Two years of education above high school
• Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience or education above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients
• Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns - and refer to the appropriate staff - as necessary - to ensure a satisfactory resolution
• Ability to operate computerized programs and systems in order to enter - modify - and retrieve sensitive medical and patient identifying information (PII) into or from electronic health records - scheduling systems - and/or reports
• Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting
• Ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person - electronically - and/or by telephone - with internal and external customers Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is 5
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-5. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements

Duties

• VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Major duties include but are not limited to: The Medical Support Assistant (MSA) must demonstrate technical competency in the use of the VistA - VSE/GUI/ISS - Consult Toolbox - EC Fax and CPRS systems
• The incumbent(s) provides administrative support to clinical - other administrative and professional staff throughout clinic - CBOC areas
• The outpatient program requires administrative scheduling and appointment coordination for diagnostic testing - and consultative appointments for many clinical services
• He/she must abide by federal privacy and confidentiality regulations and exhibit ethical conduct all times
• Employee must complete and adhere to necessary annual VHA training requirements
• He/she has a key role in the VHA Network Performance Measures for Revenue - Customer Service - Access to Care - and overall quality of healthcare delivery
• Incumbent(s) in this position may be required to conduct individual quality assurance /process improvement checks/studies
• He/she must be knowledgeable of Joint Commission requirements specific to his or her job - such as patients' rights - emergency preparedness - information security - ethical conduct - and environment of care
• Employee must understand how to identify a Joint Commission surveyor and be able to articulate answers to questions they may be asked
• The Medical Support Assistant (MSA) manages clinic operations - including appointment scheduling and patient information updates
• Acts as a liaison for administrative tasks between patients and staff
• Demonstrates technical proficiency in systems such as VistA - VSE/GUI/ISS - Consult Toolbox - EC Fax - and CPRS
• Ensures compliance with federal privacy regulations and maintains confidentiality of sensitive materials
• Supports eligibility processes and assists with the Beneficiary Travel Program as needed
• Provides administrative support across clinical and administrative areas in outpatient clinics and CBOCs
• Completes annual VHA training and participates in quality assurance and process improvement activities
• Maintains knowledge of Joint Commission requirements - including patient rights - emergency preparedness - information security - and ethical conduct
• Communicates effectively with surveyors and stakeholders to uphold healthcare quality standards
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00am - 4:30pm
• Telework: Available at supervisor dis Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #:62852F Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)