Medical Support Assistant

Medical Support Assistant

This position serves as a Medical Support Assistant (MSA) in the VA Community Care Department at the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center. The MSA is responsible for a range of duties related to telephone support and management, consult tracking, scanning, and receiving and processing of all mail. Incumbent addresses all incoming calls to obtain sufficient information to obtain primary need and assist the patient in obtaining answers to their questions regarding Community Care Consults. Queries patient as to current address and phone number, updating information as needed. Interprets information to make the appropriate referrals to other responsible personnel when the matter is outside of employee's scope of assignment.

Responsibilities include:

• Receiving and processing all mail (incoming and outgoing) received in the VA Community Care Department. Ensures that incoming claims, medical documentation, statements, and general inquiries are properly opened and sorted into established categories for proper processing: accurately and efficiently reviews incoming correspondence to determine the nature of the question, concern, or issue, and directs the documentation to the proper area for resolution.
• Views and sorts medical documentation and indexes to the correct veteran by either scanning records to the veteran's chart or properly directs to the Patient Administrative Service for scanning.
• Assists in training new employees and in updating procedures with experienced employees.
• Assists in requesting records from vendors to complete VA Community Care consult closure metrics.
• Maintains a cooperative working relationship with co-workers, managers, and patients from a wide range of backgrounds and services. Demonstrates ability to effectively communicate both orally and in writing.
• Consistently communicates with and assists customers and staff in a courteous and professional manner. Promotes teamwork by cooperating with and supporting staff and customers in achieving Medical Center goals and mission.
• Manages information security within areas of responsibility to assure that computer system security and confidentiality of sensitive information is maintained. Creates and maintains an environment that ensures confidentiality and privacy of patient information.
• Demonstrates Patient Centered Care (PCC) through the use of effective communication with patients, families, visitors, and members of the interdisciplinary team, including the patient in mutual goal setting, and providing patient advocacy when appropriate.
• Visibly demonstrates the ICARE (Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, Excellence) Core Values in interactions with Veterans, staff, and other stakeholders.
• Additional duties or tasks may be assigned by the Service Chief or supervisor to ensure efficient daily operations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Salary Range: GS3: $35,605 -$46,291 GS4: $39,967 -$51,960 GS5: $44,717 -$58,132

Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 8:00AM- 4:30PM.

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 [work experience] or 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)

Functional Statement #: 09107F, 09108F, 09109F.