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Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Veterans Health Administration | Charleston, SC

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Posted Date 6/30/2025
Description The incumbent is assigned to the Health Administration Services department at the Ralph H. Johnson VAMC. Health Administration Services is responsible for the administrative support of clinical services to include Primary Care and various Specialty Clinics located in the Main Facility and Community Based Outpatient Clinics. The goal of this position is to perform a variety of administrative duties that facilitate an effective workflow for the clinical staff.The Advanced MSA provides specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. Work involves specialized administrative judgment and the flexible use of a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or care in the community resources. Recommends changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines. Coordinates with the patient care team to review clinic appointment availability (utilization) to ensure that clinic schedules are closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinics, and makes adjustments as necessary.

Major duties include but are not limited to:

- Scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient's appointments and/or consults
- Entering no-show information
- Preparing for clinic visits
- Ensuring encounter forms are completed
- Monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments for areas of responsibility
- Verifying and updating demographics and insurance information
- Processing of all emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals
- Performing basic eligibility, co-pays and preauthorization requirements for specific coverage
- Routinely communicates with physicians, case managers and other allied health professional staff using sound interpersonal skills
- The Advanced Medical Support Assistant can serve in one of the many areas listed below:
  • Business Office
  • Community Based Clinics
  • Health Administration
  • Mental Health
  • Nursing Acute Care
  • Occupational Medicine
  • Primary Care
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm. Shift changes will be considered based on patient and facility needs.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Notifications:
  • This position is in the Excepted Service
  • Due to a critical staffing shortage, 38 U.S.C. § 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcement.
  • Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.
  • Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held
  • This position is a Bargaining Unit position.
  • This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay.
  • Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.
VA Offers a comprehensive total rewards package: 2024 Total Reward$ of a MSA VA Career Flyer.pdf (sharepoint.com)
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Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm
Functional Statement #: 55790F & 10599F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not AuthorizedApplicants 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:
  • United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
  • 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) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable
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: Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. 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 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.).

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:
i. Ability to 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.
ii. Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations. iii. Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively, electronically, by phone, in person, 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.
iv. 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.
v. Advanced knowledge of policies 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.
vi. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.

Preferred Experience:
1. Knowledge of pertinent laws/regulations such as release of information, Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Laws, and the Medical Fee Basis programs.
2. Knowledge of clinic procedures and regulations; basic medical terminology, skill in operating computer systems and applications, such as VistA, CPRS, and Microsoft applications to accurately enter or extract information or other similar type programs/systems.
3. Experience with updating and verifying demographic information, scheduling appointments, collecting insurance information, data entry, administratively managing consultation requests and the electronic waiting list, and notifying the patient of scheduled appointments.
4. Knowledge of quality assurance/performance improvement principles as well as accreditation standards (i.e. The Joint Commission).
5. Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively, electronically, by phone, in person, 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.

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-06.

Physical Requirements: The work of this position is primarily sedentary in an office setting, primarily while seated working closely with others or alone. There may be some walking, standing, bending, kneeling, lifting no more than 45 pounds, reaching above shoulder, driving an automobile, etc. The work environment typically involves everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of a medical office and/or meeting or training room. The Advanced MSA is required to sit for long periods of time at a computer terminal typing data while having face to face contact with Veterans and answering the telephone (ACD). In addition, there can be increased stress due to the intensity of a patient/customer complaint or concern. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
Salary49,238.00 - 64,006.00 Annual
Opportunity Type
Job

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