Medical Support Assistant @ Veterans Health Administration

Job Summary

The Medical Support Assistant in this position serves within the Surgical & Specialty Care ICC in the St. Cloud VA Health Care System.

Qualifications

Basic

Requirements

Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). Experience-No Experience required Education-High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education. 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:

• (1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted, or changed to a lower grade within the occupation.
• (2) 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.
• (3) 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. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

GRADE DETERMINATIONS

• GS-3 MSA (Entry Level) 1.
• Experience or Education: None beyond the basic requirements.
• GS-4 MSA (Developmental Level)
• 1. Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade. OR
• 2. Education: One year of education above high school.

(TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED).

• AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

In addition to Basic Requirements and the experience listed above, candidates must be able to 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. GS-5 MSA (Full Performance Level)
• 1. Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade. OR
• 2. Education: Two years of education above high school.(TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED).

AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

• 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.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit Medical Support Assistant Qualification Standard (va.gov) Preferred experience: Customer Service, Medical Knowledge and Terminology is preferred, Multi tasking and Prioritizing work load with posses strong Team work.

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

Major Duties

• VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Duties include: Answering phones Greeting patients Relaying messages to appropriate staff Scheduling, rescheduling and canceling medical appointments and consults Interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines Entering no-show information Monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic sources Participating in huddles with other MSAs and or clinic staff to determine daily needs of the clinic Verifying and updating demographics and insurance information when patients check-in for their appointments Coordinate administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals and determine type based on the patient's eligibility status Work Schedule: Mon-Fri 0800-1630 Telework: Not Eligible Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.

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.

Must pass pre-employment physical examination. 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.