Medical Support Assistant

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 36,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

The Minneapolis VA Health Care System (MVAHCS) inpatient medical support position provides essential administrative assistance to hospital units, ensuring smooth 24/7 operations for Veteran care in a Complex Level 1A tertiary care facility.

Responsibilities include handling patient messages, coordinating scheduling, and using office software and health records systems to support clinical staff.

Qualifications

• Basic requirements include U.S. citizenship and English proficiency.
• No experience required for entry grade; higher grades allow more education.
• Experience with medical terminology helps in patient care workflows.
• Ability to operate office equipment and scheduling systems is essential.

Responsibilities

• Provide medical administrative support to inpatient hospital units.
• Record patient messages and relay physician follow-ups for care.
• Use office automation and scheduling systems to support patient care.
• Assist in coordinating daily operations to ensure 24/7 coverage.

Skills

Communication

Office software

Medical terminology

Message taking

Education

High school diploma or GED

Two years of education above high school

Tools

Scheduling programs

Scanning software

Electronic faxing

Phone systems

Job description

The incumbent is a vital member of the inpatient healthcare team at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System (MVAHCS). MVAHCS is classified as a Complexity Level 1A tertiary care facility. The incumbent provides medical administrative support to the inpatient hospital units within MVAHCS to ensure effective 24/7 operations related to the care and treatment of Veterans.

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
• Physical Requirements.See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for 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

GS-3 MSA (Entry Level)

You must meet the Basic Requirements outlined above.

GS-4 MSA (Developmental Level)

• 1. Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
• OR
• 2. Education. One year of education above high school.
• AND

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

In addition to Basic Requirements and the experience listed above, candidates must be able to demonstrate all of the KSAs below:

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 MSA (Full Performance Level)

• 1. Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
• OR
• 2. Education. Two years of education above high school.
• AND

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

In addition to Basic Requirements and the experience listed above, candidates must be able to demonstrate all of the KSAs below:

1. 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.
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 in the accomplishment of 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 with the ability to identify customer concerns, and refer to the appropriate staff as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution.

Preferred Experience

The incumbent should have experience performing administrative and clerical duties in a healthcare setting, such as scheduling, patient check-in, and record management. Candidates should demonstrate strong communication, organizational skills, and the ability to work in a fast-paced inpatient environment. This same experience applies across all three grade levels, with increasing responsibility and independence at higher grades.

Reference

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit Medical Support Assistant Qualification Standard (va.gov

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-5. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-5.

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.