Medical Support Assistant - Inpatient

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 39,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Minneapolis is seeking a Medical Support Assistant at the GS-3 to GS-5 level. This entry to development pathway requires meeting Basic Requirements and KSAs to support clinical staff and manage patient flow.

Candidates must be U.S. citizens, proficient in English, and capable of using office automation tools and electronic health records. Education options include a high school diploma or equivalent; no prior experience is required.

Qualifications

• Citizenship: U.S. citizen; non-citizens may be appointed where allowed by law.
• English language proficiency: must be proficient in spoken and written English.
• Education: High school diploma or GED; or equivalent certification.
• Licensure/Certification/Registration: None required.
• Physical requirements are to be determined per VA guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Operate and navigate office automation and scheduling programs.
• Enter, modify, and retrieve patient data in electronic health records.
• Schedule medical appointments in clinical settings.
• Assist in patient support tasks and communicate with staff and patients.
• Provide courteous customer service to internal and external customers.

Skills

Communication

Customer service

Professionalism

Interpersonal interactions

Medical terminology

Education

High school diploma

GED or equivalency

Two years of education above high school

Tools

Scheduling software

Electronic health records

Phone systems

Imaging/scanning software

Job description

This occupational series may be eligible for the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP). 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.

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.

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.