Supervisory Medical Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration; Worcester (MA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Health Administration is seeking a Supervisory Medical Support Assistant (GS-08) at a VA medical center within VISN 1, VA New England Healthcare Network. The role plans, directs, and controls work for lower grade MSAs, operating within an Interdisciplinary Care delivery model.

Applicants must meet basic requirements, including US citizenship and English proficiency. The position emphasizes leadership, budget awareness, and collaboration to ensure quality patient services.

Qualifications

• Experience supervising patient support staff in a clinic.
• Ability to assign work, evaluate staff, and make awards/advancements.
• Excellent communication and customer service within regulated policies.
• Ability to provide briefings and staff development in patient support.

Responsibilities

• Assign work to MSAs and team leaders based on needs.
• Review weekly reports to evaluate production and address backlogs.
• Conduct staff meetings to communicate policy changes.
• Attend Section meetings and facility meetings as appropriate.
• Lead workgroups or committees as appropriate.
• Assist in audits or studies related to clinical setting.
• Serve as point of contact for patient appointment and scheduling issues.
• Develop training materials for new employees.

Skills

Staff leadership

Customer service

Education

High school diploma

GED equivalency

Proficiency certificate

Job description

Serves as a Supervisor for Medical Support Assistants at a medical center in VISN 1, VA New England Healthcare Network. The position is responsible for planning, directing, and controlling work for the lower grade Medical Support Assistants. Work is performed collaboratively in an Interdisciplinary Coordinate Care delivery model (Patient Aligned Care Team, or Specialty Care Setting). Position must have medical terminology and broad knowledge of patient procedures and policies.

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

• 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).
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Experience: None.
• 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. 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).

Grade Determinations

Supervisory Medical Support Assistant, GS-08 Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-07).

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

• Advanced knowledge of managing or leading patient support staff in a clinic. This includes independently utilizing reference sources, decision making, and 13 empowering the team to collaborate and resolve problems within a complex systems environment.
• Ability to provide the full range of administrative and supervisory duties to at least one subordinate MSA supervisor or team leader in a patient support setting which includes assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, and recommendation of awards and/or advancements.
• Ability to collaborate, communicate, and demonstrate customer service and interpersonal skills with internal and external customers to ensure quality/continuity of care and ensure compliance with established policies and regulations.
• Ability to provide briefings, orientations, staff development, and training in a patient support setting.
• Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and identify budget needs.

Assignment

Supervisory MSAs at this GS-08 level plan and direct programs at medical centers and/or satellite outpatient clinics. They have full responsibility for supervising at least one subordinate MSA team leader, supervisor, or equivalent administrative patient support staff in a VA medical inpatient, outpatient, or interdisciplinary setting. Assignments at this level include but are not limited to evaluating the work of subordinate staff; resolving complex problems to ensure patient services are met; evaluating new products, equipment, and systems to make recommendations for improved operations; identifying educational or training needs; making final decisions on hiring selections; evaluating performance and taking disciplinary action when necessary. The employee has administrative and professional responsibility for planning and directing the subordinate lead, supervisor, and MSA's activities. Responsible for extracting and analyzing data to provide reports to senior management in support of tracking measures.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Assignment of work based on requirements and resources available, to efficiently and economically accomplish the work to meet program goals and established objectives.
• Reviews work produced and analyzes weekly reports to evaluate production and takes appropriate action to resolve backlogs, scheduling errors, ICB Capture, BARR Review and Pre Registration Data.
• Conducts regular staff meetings with the medical support assistants to update them on policy changes and new procedures.
• S/he attends required Section meetings and other meetings throughout the facility as deemed appropriate.
• The employee may serve on workgroups and/or committees as deemed appropriate.
• Incumbent may be called to assist in audits or studies relating to the clinical setting.
• Serves as point of contact for resolving patient issues especially regarding appointment and scheduling concerns.
• Incumbent researches the issue and attempts to resolve it before it escalates to the Patient Representative, Clinical Service Chief, Chief of Staff or Center Director's Office.
• Maintains clerical guidelines and manuals as well as preparation of material to be used in training new employees.
• Training materials used shall be developed.