Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Summary

This position serves in the Health Administration Service at the Hershel "Woody" Williams VA Medical Center working in Radiology/Nuclear Medicine Service. The Medical Support Assistant (MSA) works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model within the Radiology/Nuclear Medicine Service Line. The MSA will interface with numerous computer applications including but not limited to CPRS, VistA, MyHealtheVet, VSEC, VSE, etc.

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Duties

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Major duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Coordinates with the patient, interdisciplinary team including the radiologist, technologists, and patients' referring service team, nurses, other VA medical centers, and other agencies (e.g. communicates with non-VA medical facilities; notify patients of requirements prior to appointment including labs or x-rays; follow up care on imaging orders)
• Monitors pre-appointment requirements to assure readiness for patient appointment/procedure including X-rays, Lab work, MRI safety screening requirements, etc. Data reports are run from the VistA Radiology Package and are used to manage radiology scheduling lists; this includes pending, hold, and past scheduled exams validating accuracy, resolving issues and disposition of orders as required in accordance with policy
• Coordinates patient procedures by verifying pre-procedure workup is complete and meets procedure requirements prior to procedure. This may include evaluating patient information, such as lab results and pre-procedure clinical screening for MRI and/or positron emission imaging (PET) exams to assure readiness for imaging exam and resolving issues if needed
• Interprets information provided to ensure that the correct exam as ordered by the physician is the one scheduled to be done
• Work collaboratively with Office of Community Care for scheduling of radiologic/nuclear medicine procedures performed in the community to include: gather data on patients referred to the community and develop a report that is shared with the Office of Community Care to determine if the patients care has been completed. Effectively communicate to ensure reports and images are received, processing orders and consults in accordance with policy and follow up on outstanding consults
• Support patient safety standards using the correct Veterans Affairs identification of all patients through the use of two forms of ID, name and SSN or DOB
• Explain VA mandate to collect insurance information to Veterans, their families, and other eligible patients. Collects, scans, and updates health insurance information, serving a major role in the revenue process. Promote Veteran registration for and utilization of My HealtheVet (MHV).
• Develops and/or maintains effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary coordinated care model, VA medical centers, and other agencies (e.g. assists with communications during the inpatient to outpatient discharge)
• Schedules Veteran appointments in accordance with service procedures and policies and instructs the patients on standard preparation procedures required prior to testing (dietary instructions, lab tests, etc.)
• Schedules appointments in the VistA scheduling package as well as the VistA radiology package
• Ensure all appointments are scheduled timely and makes every effort to meet the clinically indicated date of the provider. Scheduler notifies section personnel immediately on the arrival of patients awaiting exams and any STAT request that is received
• Provides specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model
• Provides specialized administrative judgement and flexibility in the use of a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics and specialties including clinic cancellations
• Has expertise in utilizing numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics involved in an interdisciplinary coordinated care deliver model
• Coordinates with the patient care team to review clinic appointment availability/utilization to ensure the clinic schedules ae closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinics
• Monitor and update pre-appointment information (demographics, including insurance capture) and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure, as needed
• Manages patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues
• Evaluates patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether the patient requires and immediate appointment
• Complies with local HAS-MCMs and SOPs that pertain to their work area
• Works staggered shifts and/or weekends, when needed in order to fulfil workload requirements
• Contacts Travel office with patient date of treatment when sending out records as needed
• Completion of all required training within set time frames

Work Schedule : Full-time, Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm

Telework : Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 581-23228-F

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

RESUME REQUIREMENTS - Your resume MUST include the following information:

• Job Title (for each position)
• Description of duties (be as detailed as possible)
• Month and year start/end dates (e.g. June 2018 to April 2020) of employment
• Full-time or part-time status (include average hours worked per week)

• 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 ( 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.

Qualifications

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 :

• United States Citizenship : Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• 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.
• 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. MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.j.

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).

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.

Grade Determinations :

Advanced Medical Support Assistant GS-6 Grade Level:

Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.

• Experience is defined as experience that includes, but is 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.).

Candidates must also be able to demonstrate all the following Knowledge, skills, and abilities for the GS-0679-6 level to qualify for this position:

(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 to appointment 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

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary but also requires some standing, walking, bending, lifting, and carrying of light items

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit:

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.