Medical Support Assistant

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Grand Island (NE); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

The Medical Support Assistant (MSA) with the Pathology and Lab Service Department functions as the initial point of contact for units, clinics, and patients. Duties include scheduling patient appointments, tracking, reviewing, and responding to electronic orders and consults in organizational medical systems.

This position requires knowledge of computerized data entry, information processing systems, and software related to patient care.

Qualifications

• 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
• Ability to meet, communicate, and interact with individuals from varying backgrounds and other health care team members
• Ability to use and navigate between various types of office automation equipment and software to support patient care

Responsibilities

• Provide specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary care delivery model
• Coordinate with the patient care team to review clinic utilization and schedules
• Schedule, verify, and update patient demographics and insurance information
• Enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive patient information in electronic health records and scheduling systems
• Assist in huddles and document information into the electronic record

Skills

Medical terminology

Patient communication

Data entry

Office equipment

Scheduling

Software navigation

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

Electronic health records

Scheduling programs

Office phone systems

Job description

Summary

The Medical Support Assistant (MSA) with the Pathology and Lab Service Department functions as serving as an initial point of contact for the units - clinics - patient. Duties included - but not limited to: scheduling patient appointments - tracking - reviewing - and responding to electronic orders and consults in the organizational medical systems. This position requires a practical knowledge of computerized data entry - information processing systems and software related to patient care.

Summary

The Medical Support Assistant (MSA) with the Pathology and Lab Service Department functions as serving as an initial point of contact for the units - clinics - patient. Duties included - but not limited to: scheduling patient appointments - tracking - reviewing - and responding to electronic orders and consults in the organizational medical systems. This position requires a practical knowledge of computerized data entry - information processing systems and software related to patient care.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/28/2026. Medical Support Assistant

Basic Requirements

• Citizenship: Citizen of the United States
• (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance to 38 U.S.C.
• 7407(a)
• Experience and Education: Experience: None
• OR 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
• Grandfathering Provision: Employees in VHA in this occupation - under a permanent - appropriate - and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard - are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held - including positive education and registration/certification where applicable
• For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment-specific requirements in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed - the following provisions apply: Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation
• NOTE: This provision is not intended to regularize appointments/placements
• Foreign Education: To be creditable - education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C.
• 7403(f)
• Grade Determinations: Creditable Experience: To be creditable - the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge - skills and abilities (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
• 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 for 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
• 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 as described in this standard - at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements - candidates must possess the required specialized experience and be able to demonstrate all Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSAs) as summarized below
• GS-3 Grade Experience or Education (Entry Level): None beyond the basic requirements
• GS-4 Grade Experience (Developmental Level): One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
• OR Education: One year of education above high school
• AND Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 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
• 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
• GS-5 Grade Experience (Full Performance Level): One year of experience equivalent to the GS-4 grade level
• OR - Education: Two years of education above high school
• AND Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 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
• References: See Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) website for VA specific qualification standards: VA Qualification Standards - Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO)
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-5 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.

Duties

• VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major duties include (but not limited to): Provide specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model
• Recommend changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines
• Expertise in utilizing numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics
• Coordinate with the patient care team to review clinic utilization
• Responsible for scheduling appointments - verifying and updating demographics and insurance
• Schedule - cancel - re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults
• entering no-show information
• monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic sources
• Coordinates administrative services for veterans - family members - caregivers - general public - administrative and clinical staff
• Follow clinical processes to address or handoff medical records when received
• Work with the multiphone line system and have working knowledge of computer systems and phone etiquette
• Coordinates administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals Knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians
• Adjust the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs
• Assist the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions
• Participate in huddles with other MSAs and/or clinic staff to determine the daily needs of the clinic
• Document appropriate information into the electronic record
• Manage patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues
• Other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: 40 hours per week
• Monday-Friday - 7:00 am to 4:00 pm (Dependent on location)
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized
• Student Repayment Program: This occupational series may be eligible for the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) - and participation is available for highly qualified candidates
• Repayment is limited to $40 -000 annually - up to $100 -000 in lifetime awards
• Participants must sign a three-year service agreement and maintain an acceptable level of performance to remain eligible for this program
• Contact [e-mail] for more information
• 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) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized