Lead Medical Support Assistant

Summary

The Lead Medical Support Assistant (LMSA) with the VA Outpatient Scheduling Services (OSS) provides expertise, guidance and direction and has responsibilities relative to providing administrative support, coordination, and technical assistance in the planning, development, and maintenance of an effective, comprehensive and integrated OSS Program at this Medical Center.

Help

Duties

VA Careers:

Lead Medical Support Assistant (LMSA): https://youtube.com/embed/UJO_XH5uCLs

Medical Support Assistant (MSA): vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-MSA-VA-Career-Flyer.pdf

Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf

Major duties include (but not limited to): 2. Perform receptionist duties. 3. Maintain Medical Charts 4. Scheduling Expectations 5. Administrative duties 6. Serves as a mentor to Grade 3-6 Medical Support Assistants (MSA) 7. Special Duties as assigned.

• Customer Service
• Greet and check in patients, assist patients with mobile check-in if needed.
• Gather medical information if needed.
• Refer patients to appropriate member of health care team as needed.
• Report backlogs, difficulties in meeting deadlines, uncooperative physicians.
• Document complaints.
• Ability to identify customer's concerns, perform the tasks required to resolve the issues accurately and timely, and follow-up as necessary to ensure a satisfactory resolution.
• Resolve difficult problems and diffuse potential dissatisfaction with VA services.
• Monitor copying and faxing.
• Answer and route incoming phone calls.
• Manage leave schedules and coverage for Medical Support Assistants (MSA).
• Manage clinic grids.
• Serve as a technical advisor and liaison.
• Respond to and manage secure messages.
• Respond to and manage appointment requests through organizational systems.
• Follow the current VA Scheduling Directive, facility policies and operating procedures.
• Check Recall Reminder lists to avoid delinquencies.
• Prepare for clinic including printing appointment and clinic lists.
• Monitor ICB and patient demographics.
• Manage encounters, return to clinics, recalls, and consults to ensure these are completed daily.
• Interpret, verify, and disposition of provider orders.
• Complete reports.
• Record meeting minutes, scribe with co-signer.
• Monitor appointments for area of responsibility.
• Process all transfer to other facilities.
• Perform basic eligibility requirements.
• Manage warehouse supplies and clinic forms.
• Assist with clinic access contingency plans by adjusting appointment times, locations, or dates.
• Manage completion and accuracy of all data programs.
• Request medical records from Community Care providers and non-VA healthcare Institutions.
• Conduct special audits, studies or surveys as requested.
• Collect complete and appropriate data for reporting purposes.
• Organize and implement quality assurance documents for supervisor.
• Manage work orders.
• Order supplies and equipment and entering applicable forms.
• Provide coverage for scheduling staff during intermittent shortages.
• Complete all New Employee Orientation
• Learn new processes to oversee training and implementation among other Medical Support Assistants (MSA).
• Provide remedial training for existing staff as needed.
• Resolve daily workplace issues.
• Provide guidance to staff members to include changes in policies and procedures.
• Provide guidance to Medical Support Assistants (MSA) staff on the most current VA Scheduling Directive and Minimum Scheduling efforts.
  
  

Work Schedule: 40 hours per week. Tours will vary and will be discussed during the interview process

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases

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)

Telework: Not available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000/Lead Medical Support Assistant

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Help

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
  
  

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11:59 PM (ET) on 05/05/2025.

Medical Support Assistant Basic Requirements:

Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.g.).

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. 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.

Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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.

Grade Determinations:

• 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 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 for 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.
  
  

In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements outlined above, candidates must possess the required specialized experience and be able to demonstrate all Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) as summarized below.

GS-6 Grade: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level, Examples of experience may include:

• 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
• Independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established procedures, policies and regulations;
• Communicate tactfully and effectively, electronically, by phone, 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
• Possess 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.
• Possess advanced knowledge of polices 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.
• Possess advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.
  
  

AND

GS-7 Grade:

Candidates must demonstrate ALL of the KSAs (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities) below:

• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology and a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community resources.
• Ability to utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting.
• Ability to organize work, set priorities, and delegate tasks/responsibilities in order to meet deadlines.
• Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect (and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff).
• Ability to provide staff development and training.
• Ability to manage staffing requirements, manage workflow priorities, and adjust the flow of work to meet team and patient needs. This includes the ability to follow-up on pending issues and demonstrate an understanding of the impact of incomplete work across multiple clinics.
  
  

References: VA Handbook 5005/53, Part II, Appendix G, page II-G45-4 & II-G45-5

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7

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.

Education


IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.



Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:

• 1st Area of Consideration: Current permanent employees of the Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System to include the Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), and the NWI Veterans Canteen Service.
• 2nd Area of Consideration: All other VA Agency Employees.
• 3rd Area of Consideration: All other applicants.
  
  

This is an open continuous announcement; applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available.

EXPLORE THE TOTAL REWARD FOR THE MEDICAL SUPPORT ASSISTANT CAREERS

This occupational series is eligible for the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP), and participation is available for highly qualified candidates. Participants must sign a service agreement and maintain an acceptable level of performance to remain eligible for this program

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38 and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Read more

• Help A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.