Medical Support Assistant

Summary The Medical Support Assistant (MSA) provides medical administrative support to one or more outpatient clinic and is an integral member of the clinic team to effectively carry out day-to-day administrative operations of the clinic. The MSA is responsible for accurate appointment management and the coordination of all administrative information between the professional staff, patient, patient caregiver and/or representative. Learn more about this agency Overview 1 vacancy in the following location: Sioux Falls, SD 1 vacancy No matching locations found. Work site options Telework eligible: No. Remote job: No. Relocation expenses reimbursed: No. Salary: $36,769 – $56,413 per year. Pay scale & grade: GS 3 – 5. Promotion potential: 5. Work schedule: Full-time. Travel Required: Not required. Appointment type: Permanent. Occupations and job series: 0679 Medical Support Assistance. Supervisory status: No. Federal service type: This job is in the Excepted Service. Represented by a union: No. Drug test: No. Security clearance: Not Required. Position sensitivity and risk: Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk. Background check type: Credentialing, Suitability/Fitness. Financial disclosure required: No. Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests. Announcement number: CBSY-13103314-27-KAH. Control number: 890964000. This job is open to the public. U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. This is a PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT and is open All US Citizens. Duties Major duties include, but are not limited to the following: Works collaboratively in an inter-disciplinary care delivery model and performs receptionist, customer service, and administrative duties for the proper and timely treatment of patients. Demonstrates substantial skill in planning, organizing, problem solving, and decision making. They maintain appointment schedules for one or more outpatient clinics, while demonstrating a high level of oral and written communication skills. Provides administrative support to our clinical colleagues in the care of our Nation’s Veterans. Utilizes a variety of patient data systems and is responsible for performing scheduling functions including appointment scheduling/rescheduling, and cancellations, providing reception to incoming and outgoing customers and communication, appointment check in/out, verification and disposition of provider orders, manual and electronic data entry, reviewing, updating patient demographics, insurance verification, as well as reviewing and dispositioning Message Manager and Secure Messages. Receive phone calls in a courteous and timely manner, determine the nature of requests and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processes. Schedule the patient’s future appointments with appropriate clinical team members. Organizes paperwork required for the examination. Request medical records from community healthcare facilities, schedules consultation appointments, special procedures, and/or testing labs, radiology, CPAP, PFT’s, pulmonary, and other clinics to coordinate care. Able to interpret and communicate requirements of VHA Scheduling Directives and policies, such as scheduling appointments, VistA Scheduling Enhancement (VSE), Integrated Scheduling Solution (ISS), Oracle Cerner, Consult Tracking Manager (CTM), Consult Toolbox (CTB), Virtual Care Manager (VCM), Patient Check In (PCICSV), VEText, Audiocare, Telehealth Management Platform (TMP), Scheduling Manager, Insurance Capture Buffer (ICB), Message Manager and Secure Messaging with the assistance of a more senior AMSA or Supervisor. Appointments will be made with the patient’s input, either in person, over the phone, or through written communication. This may require a high level of coordination to avoid patients having to make multiple trips to the medical center or clinic. They notify his/her supervisor when clinic access is less than desirable or if an individual patient cannot be scheduled within mandated clinic timeframes. Daily review of return to clinic orders, queries, and referrals. May be required to enter electronic work order requests for the area they are supporting. Work Schedule: Monday – Friday; 8:00am – 4:30pm. Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (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 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). Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. Conditions of Employment 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; 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 All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to clearly demonstrate your experience in your application package may result in disqualification. All applicants are encouraged to submit responses to each Knowledge, Skill, and Ability (KSA) on a separate document. 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. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) Certification: None Required 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). Grade Determinations Medical Support Assistant (Entry Level) GS-3 Experience or Education: None beyond the basic requirements. Medical Support Assistant (Developmental Level) GS-4 Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade. -OR- Education: One year of education above high school. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) . -AND- Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Knowledge of basic medical terminology to assist in the provision of care to patients. Skill in recording patient messages and understanding physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care in internal or external clinics. 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. 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. Medical Support Assistant (Full Performance Level) GS-5 Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-4 grade level. – OR- Education: Two years of education above high school (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) . – AND- Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients. Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns, and refer to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution. 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. 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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit 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. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application. 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. The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran’s community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America’s Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. 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. Benefits 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. Review our benefits 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. Next Steps Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center. NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. Fair and Transparent The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance. Criminal history inquiries Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Financial suitability New employee probationary period Privacy Act Reasonable accommodation policy Selective Service Signature and false statements Social security number request Agency Contact Information Kimberly Harvey Phone: View phone number on click.appcast.io Email: View email address on click.appcast.io Address: Royal C Johnson Veterans Memorial Hospital 2501 West 22nd Street Sioux Falls, SD 57105 US #J-18808-Ljbffr Veterans Health Administration (DOVA)