The Primary Purpose of the Position is: To perform administrative and clerical support work relating to the care and treatment given to patients of the inpatient units, outpatient clinics, ancillary support services, scheduling call center, Eligibility Enrollment (E&E) Office, Beneficiary Travel Reimbursement office, and Compensation and Pension office at these facilities The Organizational Location of the Position is: Health Administration Service, VA North Texas Health Care System (VANTHCS).
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 11, 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. 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. Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs. Grade Determinations: Medical Support Assistant, GS-3 Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: Ability to meet, communicate, and interact with individuals in a courteous and helpful manner in order to give instructions and arrange appointments. Ability to utilize computer systems to enter administrative data in patient systems. Ability to learn and utilize basic medical terminology to record patient messages and physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care. Medical Support Assistant, GS-4 Experience: One year of experience in 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. Two years of education above high school. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 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. 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. Knowledge of basic medical terminology to assist in the provision of care to patients. Skill in recording patient messages and understanding physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care in internal or external clinics. Medical Support Assistant, GS-5 Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-4 grade level; OR, Education. Four years of education above high school. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 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. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients. Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting. Ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work. Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone, with internal and external customers. 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: Previous Clerical or Administrative type work 1 year of experience operating computer programs, applications and systems (i.e. email, Word, excel, Vista, CPRS) 1 year of good customer service experience Previous experience receiving and making telephone calls Experience working independently to accomplish duties or tasks Experience resolving informal/formal complaints from customers 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-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: 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.
Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Medical Support Assistant: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-MSA-VA-Career-Flyer.pdf Duties include, but are not limited to: Receives, relays and/or answers incoming and outgoing telephone and electronic messages. Answers questions such as those dealing with the patient's eligibility for services, availability of appointments, procedures for obtaining an appointment, requests for appointments and/or appointment changes. Schedules, cancels, reschedules follow-up and/or consult appointments, travel arrangements, and Compensation and Pension appointments. Responsible for accessing electronic medical records, reviewing, and verifying provider's orders for patient treatment, entry of doctor's orders, consult requests and reviewing updated alerts from providers. Interacts with bed control nursing staff to coordinate patient flow and provide a real-time bed management system. Uses VistA to record, and initiate patient movement computer entries appropriate to patient status (admission, observation, inter-ward transfer, bed assignments, pass/authorized absence, ASIH, and lodgers, provider entry or changes, treating specialty, discharge type or other). Performs eligibility, copays, and travel reimbursement determinations as well as preauthorization actions. Responsible for c-file management to include: receipt acknowledge of all incoming medical records, breakdown, reorganization of and out-processing of records following the medical examination. Processes emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals. Possess the knowledge and understanding of the guidelines associated with the Electronic Wait List, Vista Scheduling Enhancements (VSE). Monitors, request, scan, and updates patient insurance information via insurance buffer software (ICB-NTX-live) and or the Pre-registration program. Verifies, updates, and confirms current demographic information from Kiosk in VetLink, and use of Veteran Scheduling Enhancement (VSE) and/or Veterans Health Information and Technology Architecture (Vista) software packages- preregistration menu when patient's check-in for their scheduled or unscheduled appointment. Performs pre-registration via telephone during pre-appointment and pre-registration calls by proper identification of patients by requesting identifiers such as date of both, next of kin and full social security number. Work Schedule: Tours 7:30am-4:00pm, 3:30pm-midnight, or midnight-8:00am. Tours may include evenings and nights, but all tours will include weekends and holidays. Off days TBD by the Service. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): May be Authorized 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) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 50524-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized