Medical Support Assistant

The incumbent serves as a Medical Support Assistant in Patient Care Services at the Sierra Nevada Health Care System, Reno, Nevada. The incumbent performs duties related to the receipt, intake, and indexing of health and administrative information. The incumbent will interface with personal computer (PC) applications as well as numerous VISTA applications.

Qualifications:

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/18/2024.

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: Advanced Medical Support Assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Policy.
• 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.

Creditable Experience 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 a 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 to 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.

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).

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:
    1. Ability to meet, communicate, and interact with individuals in a courteous and helpful manner in order to give instructions and arrange appointments.
    2. Ability to utilize computer systems to enter administrative data in patient systems.
    3. 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:
    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.
• 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:
    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.

References: VA Handbook 5005, PART II, APPENDIX G45 Medical Support Assistant VA Qualification Standards.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-05. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a range of GS-3 to GS-5.

Physical Requirements: This is primarily a sedentary position. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019

Responsibilities:

Work Schedule: Variable tour of duty - dependent upon agency needs
Telework: Not Available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

The MSA is responsible for scheduling inpatient appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines under the direction of an MSA at the full performance level.

Duties of the position include, but are not limited to:

• Employee plans and organizes work with general assistance from the supervisor and/or experienced MSA, to meet local and VA-wide time frames to complete analysis requirements, reports and special assignments and refers all problems to their supervisor or Lead MSA.
• Responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of information obtained to carry out required duties.
• Routinely communicates with physicians, case managers, and other professional staff using sound interpersonal skills and is constantly aware of the sensitive information.
• Works under the direction of an MSA at the full performance level and makes decisions based on guidelines, precedents and regulations.
• Performance is judged in terms of overall effectiveness of the operation through broad general objectives, the adequacy and accuracy of the work, timeliness, and conformance to established procedures, policies and instructions.
• Scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling inpatient appointments.
• monitoring inpatient orders for areas of responsibility, verifying that admission and other inpatient forms are completed, verifying and updating demographics and insurance information. Work is performed under the direct supervision of an MSA at the full performance level.
• Other duties as assigned by management.

Salary : $40,463