Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Garland (TX); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Garland, TX seeks a Medical Support Assistant (GS-6) to provide specialized administrative patient support within the PM&R interdisciplinary care model. You will help coordinate access to care across clinics, specialties, and community resources.

The role requires collaboration with clinicians, strong prioritization, clear communication, and knowledge of health care processes to ensure timely patient service.

Qualifications

• Six months clerical, office, customer service, or administrative experience.
• One year above high school education required.
• Experience/education combination acceptable for entry level.
• Certification: None required.
• Grandfathering provision may apply for current VA employees in this occupation.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialized administrative patient support within PM&R interdisciplinary care delivery.
• Collaborate with a wide range of medical clinicians to coordinate care across clinics and services.
• Manage scheduling, patient flow, and access to care while adhering to processes and policies.
• Communicate with internal and external customers to resolve patient concerns.

Skills

Collaboration across medical teams

Prioritization and organization

Clear written and verbal communication

Health care processes knowledge

Interdisciplinary care delivery basics

Education

One year above high school

Job description

The Advanced MSA provides specialized and expert administrative patient support while working works collaboratively in the assigned PM&R 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.

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.

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).

Grandfathering Provision

All MSAs employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, [which] are [a] part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:

• Such employees may be reassigned, promoted, or [changed to a lower grade] within the occupation.
• 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.
• If an employee who was converted to [Title] 38 hybrid status under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

Grade Determinations

GS-6

Experience.

One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

• 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.

Preferred Experience

• ISS, Vista/CPRS
• Consults/RTC/ICB
• Pre-Registration
• Community Care
• Medical Terminology
• Customer Service

Reference

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6

Physical Requirements

The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.