About this role
Job SummaryThe Advanced Medical Support Assistant serves in the Imaging Service Line with the Iowa City VA Healthcare System in Iowa City, IA. The Advanced MSA works in partnership with other VA Medical Centers, private hospitals and physicians who support America's veterans with their care. This position utilizes multiple systems to provide Digital Imaging records to staff physicians, residents, wards, clinics and to patients throughout the medical center.
QualificationsBasic Requirements: a. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens b. Experience. None. c. Education. High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education. d. Licensure/Certification/Registration. None. f. Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. g. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. h. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-6 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level Examples of qualifying experience, include but are not limited to, independently performing a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Advising clinical staff on current administrative processes. Performing administrative support duties including answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate medical staff inside or outside of the unit, scheduling appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. AND Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) 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. (b) 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 toappointment cycles, outside patient referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, provider availability, etc. (c) Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians. (d) 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. (e) Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations. (f) 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-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-6.
Major DutiesThe Advanced MSA works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model (i.e., PACT) to facilitate recovery of Imaging results from Care in the Community Vendors. Responsibilities include reviewing active/pending Imaging consult statuses, Faxing result retrieval requests related to Care in the Community Imaging services, updating the consult with new information and closing the Imaging consult when indicated. In addition, the Advanced MSA will receive training on standard processes for creating Imaging CDs, importing CDs from outside vendors, processing Community Based Outpatient Clinic imaging studies. The incumbent develops and maintains effective working relationships with all clinical and administrative Imaging Department staff in order to support patient care. As a Results Processing Advanced MSA, at times it will be essential to backup the Imaging Scheduling MSAs. The MSA Imaging Scheduler, the Advanced MSA performs reception, scheduling and other customer service duties that facilitate proper and timely treatment of patient care for all modalities that training has been provided (CT, Ultrasound, Vascular Ultrasound, MRI, Mammography, Nuclear Medicine and Interventional Radiology). A caring, compassionate and sensitive manner is essential when explaining procedures to veterans and their family members both in person and on the phone. The incumbent assists patients by scheduling appointments for Imaging exams in the VA hospital system, documents complaints, and provides follow-up and suggests resolutions to supervisor. Incumbent must be able to interpret and communicate requirements of VHA Scheduling Directives to patients and other VAHCS staff and accurately complete all scheduling responsibilities. All appointments will be made with the patient's input, either in person or by phone. This may require a high level of coordination to avoid patients making multiple trips to the medical center whenever possible. Additional duties or tasks may be assigned by the supervisor to ensure efficient daily operations. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). 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 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 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorizedRequirementsYou 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. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.