Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Detroit, MI seeks an Advanced Medical Support Assistant to support physicians, nurses, and allied staff. The role emphasizes patient flow, data entry, and clinic coordination within a busy VA facility.

The incumbent will manage appointments, verify demographics, and assist in coordinating care across teams, with a schedule reflecting late afternoon to midnight hours as described.

Qualifications

• Experience or education meeting the basic requirements for an MSA role.
• Ability to coordinate patient scheduling and clinic flow.
• Familiarity with VA scheduling guidelines and patient data handling.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative patient support within an interdisciplinary care model.
• Assist with scheduling, intake, and messaging across care teams.
• Maintain patient information in electronic records and coordinate transfers as needed.

Skills

MSA Practices

Team collaboration

Scheduling

Electronic records

Education

One year above high school

Equivalent combination of experience and education

Tools

VA scheduling systems

Electronic Health Records

Job description

Summary

This position is located at John D. Dingell VA Medical Center (Detroit VA). The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (A/MSA) is responsible for performing a variety of technical support duties that facilitate the work of physicians - physician assistants - nurses - nursing assistants - and other members of the medical facility who provide direct patient care. A/MSAs are considered chief sources of patient care and patient flow information.

Summary

This position is located at John D. Dingell VA Medical Center (Detroit VA). The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (A/MSA) is responsible for performing a variety of technical support duties that facilitate the work of physicians - physician assistants - nurses - nursing assistants - and other members of the medical facility who provide direct patient care. A/MSAs are considered chief sources of patient care and patient flow information.

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
• MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Chapter 3 - Section A - paragraph 3.j
• Experience and education: Experience
• Six months experience of 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 - Education
• One year above high school
• OR - Experience/Education Combination
• Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable Certification
• None required
• Grandfathering Provision
• 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)
• 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)
• Creditable Experience: Knowledge of MSA Practices
• 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 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 a 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
• 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
• Grade Determinations: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) - GS-6 Experience
• One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level
• This experience may include but is not limited to: Advise 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 - and scheduling appointments - including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines
• 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 Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: Ability to collaborate and communicate [with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines (e.g
• medical doctors - nurse practitioners - physician assistants - psychologists - psychiatrists - social workers - clinical pharmacists - and nursing staff) to accomplish team goal setting to ensure medical care to patients is met
• Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines - ensuring compliance with established processes - policies - and regulations
• Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively - [electronically - by phone - in person - and in writing - with internal and external customers
• This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels - as well as resolving patient concerns
• Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process (including - but not limited to - scheduling across interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community models and patient health care portals) as it relates to access to care
• Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community operational activities that affect patient flow - and patient support care administrative functions to include - but not limited to appointment cycles - outside patient referrals - follow-up care - overbooking - provider availability - etc
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: The work is mostly sedentary
• It typically requires sitting with sustained periods of concentration
• There will be some walking - standing - bending - and carrying of relatively light objects
• The position may also require stooping - reaching - lifting - pulling - and other moderate exertion or strain
• Incumbent may occasionally have to walk some distance to a meeting
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Duties

• VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo This series includes work that requires practical knowledge of computerized data entry - information processing systems and software related to patient care - the healthcare system's organization and services - basic rules and regulations governing visitors and patient treatment - knowledge of standard procedures - utilizing medical records - and medical terminology
• Provides specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model
• Work involves specialized administrative judgment and the flexible use of a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics - specialties - and/or care in the community resources
• Recommends changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines
• Expertise in utilizing numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics involved in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model
• Coordinates with the patient care team to review clinic appointment availability to ensure that clinic schedules are closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinics - and makes adjustments as necessary
• Develop and/or maintain effective and efficient communication with the patient - interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model teams - VA medical centers - and other agencies
• Other assignments at this level include - but are not limited to: Process incoming patient secure messaging and coordinates with care team as appropriate
• participates in team meetings to manage - plan - problem solve - and follow-up with patient care by sharing information and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team
• setting priorities and deadlines - adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs
• identifies incomplete encounters and communicates findings to providers
• as needed
• assists the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions
• enters appropriate information into the electronic record
• monitors pre-appointment information and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure
• manages patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues
• evaluates patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether the patient requires an immediate appointment
• informs team members about shared patients
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 3:30pm - 12:00am - Thursday - Monday - 3:30pm - 12:00am Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 91463-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized 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)