Medical Support Assistant @ Veterans Health Administration

Job Summary

The incumbent serves as Medical Support Assistant (MSA) in Radiology Service at the San Diego VA Healthcare System. Incumbent is responsible for scheduling outpatient clinic appointments using Veteran Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) scheduling options and for scheduling imaging procedures using the Radiology Package. This is the full performance level of the Medical Support Assistant.

Qualifications

Resume Requirement: Your resume must be detailed include the following information: Job title, description of duties, beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment; and average hours worked per week. SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action: Current Federal Employees are mandated to submit your recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) dated 2026 for eligibility that displays your actual and current grade, step, salary, and tenure. Award SF-50s are not considered eligible. 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.

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. Licensure/Certification/Registration. None English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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: GS-05: Full Performance Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade. OR Education. Two years of education above high school.

• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.
• 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.

Preferred Characteristics/ Experience

• 1. Experience with Window based computers; ability to type 40 wpm.
• 2. Previous experience scheduling radiologic procedures using an electronic appointment package is preferred.
• 3. Ability to learn quickly and retain large amounts of complex information relative to scheduling radiologic procedures and associated processes. Experience with rotating positions to provide cross-coverage.
• 4. Experience working in a very structured, fast paced, high volume, and ever-changing work environment. Must be able to adapt to a very busy work environment and handle stress and changing situations in a professional and collaborative manner.
• 5. Experience working in a customer service-oriented work environment with a variety of individuals and presents a professional appearance.
• 6. Experience working as part of a team to complete tasks as well as being responsible for completing individual work assignments.
• 7. Experience working in an environment requiring the ability to multi-task; for example, ability to schedule imaging procedures via phone and face-to-face, and coordinate a myriad of paperwork concurrently.

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 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; 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.). Physical

Requirements

Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.

However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations. References: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. 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 GS-05.

Major Duties

• VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Medical Support Assistant: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-MSA-VA-Career-Flyer.pdf The MSA works collaboratively with the patient care team to schedule outpatient imaging appointments, and to coordinate inpatient imaging procedures. Duties include but are not limited to the following: Review the imaging order to determine the urgency of the request and must differentiate between routine procedures and special studies. Review the request for accuracy and notifies the requesting physician of any discrepancies that would prevent action being taken. Review the patient computerized medical record (CPRS) to extract medical information including but not limited to laboratory reports, allergy information, BUN and creatinine levels, past medical history, and other pertinent medical information needed to schedule patient's imaging appointment. Screen patients to obtain information needed to determine if the patient meets the criteria to receive requested procedure. Uses obtained information to prepare required documents and to determine if the requested procedure requires protocol, if so, submits forms to the radiologist to protocol the order. Determine the patient's pre-appointment requirements and restrictions. Prior to the patient's scheduled appointment, incumbent communicates to the patient the appropriate restrictions and instructions required of the procedure, including but not limited to the patient's requirement to obtain current labs, need to fast, need to take premedication to advert an allergic reaction to contrast, etc. Contact the ordering provider to request an order for pre-medication, labs, etc., if required and not previously requested. Collaborate with the staff of other Services or Special Procedures to ensure all pre-procedure requirements are coordinated, e.g., Anesthesiology, Interventional Radiology, etc. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30 am - 4:00 pm, (Subject to change based upon the needs of the agency.) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Radiology Title: MSA GS-0679-05 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

You 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.

Must pass pre-employment physical evaluatio. 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.