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.
I. 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: Must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.
Experience and Education:
(1)
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
(2)
Education: One year above high school;
OR
(3) Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.
Certification. None required.
Grade Determination .
In addition to the basic requirements for employment listed in paragraph 3 above, the] following (education and experience) criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:
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.
Assignment. This is the full performance level for MSAs. At this level, the MSA independently performs a full range of duties [related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes. The MSA is responsible for answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit, scheduling appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults; entering no-show information; monitoring 7 appointment requests from multiple electronic sources; participating in huddles with other MSAs and/or clinic staff to determine the daily needs of the clinic, monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments [in] areas of responsibility; verifying and updating demographics and insurance information when [patients check-in for appointments. Coordinates administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals [and determines appointment type based on the patient's eligibility status (i.e., TRICARE, sharing agreements, collaterals, research patient, VA employee, etc.).
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.
SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE: You may substitute education for specialized experience if you possess the following :At least four (4) years of Education above high school or a Bachelors Degree
(You must submit copies of transcripts as proof)
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6.
Physical Requirements: The Medical Support Assistant work is mostly sedentary; however, some walking; standing, and carrying light items are required. Light filing, sometimes involving working close to the floor, is involved. Wrist and back protection can be provided to minimize the risks associated with prolonged use of automated data processing equipment.
References: VA Handbook 5005/117, Part II, Appendix G45, dated August 1, 2019. Medical Support Assistant Qualification Standard GS-0679.
http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/Directives-Handbooks/Documents/5005.pdf this can be found in the local Human Resources Office.