Medical Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration; Fayetteville (AR); On-site; USD 30,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

The Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks in Fayetteville, AR is seeking a Medical Support Assistant to join the Health Administration Service. You will help schedule appointments, greet patients, answer phones, and manage information flows within the clinic.

Responsibilities include coordinating with clinical staff, verifying patient data, and ensuring accurate data entry into health records and insurance systems.

Qualifications

• Must meet KSAs: communicate with patients and healthcare staff in a courteous manner.
• Proficient with office automation equipment and scheduling software.
• Knowledge of basic medical terminology to assist in patient care.
• Able to record patient messages and relay provider requests effectively.

Responsibilities

• Answer phones and greet patients in a courteous manner.
• Schedule, cancel, and reschedule appointments per scheduling guidelines.
• Verify demographics and insurance information at check-in.
• Enter and retrieve information in EHR and ICB systems as needed.
• Relay messages to appropriate staff and coordinate with clinical teams.

Skills

Patient interaction

Office software

Medical terminology

Message recording

Education

High school diploma / GED

Tools

Insurance Capture Buffer (ICB)

Electronic health record systems

Job description

The Medical Support Assistant is in the Health Administration Service of the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks located in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

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 Determinations

• GS-03: Entry Level Experience or Education: None beyond the basic requirements.
• GS-04: Developmental (a) Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.OR (b) Education. One year of education above high school. (c) 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 scheduling guidelines. MSAs at this level refer all questions regarding medical attention to the appropriate health care team member. (d) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 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. 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. Knowledge of basic medical terminology to assist in the provision of care to patients. Skill in recording patient messages and understanding physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care in internal or external clinics.
• GS-05: Full Performance (a) Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.OR (b) Education. Two years of education above high school. (c) 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 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; 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.). (d) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 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 recor