Supervisory Medical Support Assistant

Summary

The VA Western New York Healthcare System is recruiting for one(1) Supervisory Medical Support Assistant (MSA) , within Health Administration Service. The Supervisory MSA (SMSA) has a large scope of responsibility over a major clinical area (i.e. Surgery, Medicine, PACT, BVAC) for the healthcare system including supervision of subordinate Supervisory MSA and Lead MSAs.

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Duties

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Duties at this level includes, but are not limited to:

• Assigning and evaluating the work of subordinate staff, performance evaluations, selection of staff, and recommendation of awards and/or advancements
• Resolving complex problems to ensure patient services are met; evaluating new products, equipment, and systems in order to make recommendations for improved operations
• Identifying educational or training needs; making final decisions on selections; evaluating performance, and taking disciplinary action when necessary. The employee has full administrative and professional responsibility for planning and directing the MSA's activities and is responsible for extracting and analyzing data to provide reports in support of performance measures to senior management.
• It is expected that the GS-8 Supervisory Medical Support Assistant (MSA) works collaboratively with all clinical business managers and frontline staff throughout the Primary Care and Specialty Clinics, in the Specialty Clinics Call Center and Primary Care Call Center.
• The Supervisory MSA develops and maintains effective and efficient communication with all departmental leadership, respective Care Line Managers and service line managers and frontline staff, serving as a core member of the HAS and Clinical Service leadership.
• Successful performance in this position requires knowledge of administrative policies and procedures at facility and network level that impact HAS and Business Operations, information security and exchange, management of reports and data, scheduling directives, telephone care, and public relations/customer service.
• The Supervisory MSA is knowledgeable and skilled in the operation of a personal computer utilizing a wide variety of software, utilizing multiple computer applications in the performance of all duties including Vista (entry and retrieval of administrative and clinical data to include numerous existing report options and specialized queries), VSSC, CPRS (to include monitoring of outpatient workload data capture), Microsoft Office products for word processing, spreadsheets, and relational data base programs.
• The HAS Supervisory MSA has detailed knowledge of outpatient administrative processes, release of information, records management schedules for ambulatory care clinics, workload data capture, encounter forms, and VISTA scheduling package, maintaining full responsibility and accountability for the scheduling practices.
• The HAS Supervisory MSA has detailed knowledge of outpatient administrative processes, release of information, records management schedules for ambulatory care clinics, workload data capture, encounter forms, and VISTA scheduling package, maintaining full responsibility and accountability for the scheduling practices.
• Work closely with department business managers to communicate implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of all administrative procedures related to HAS.
• Provide recommendations and suggestions to management as necessary to ensure timely completion of reports, related performance monitors/measures are met, and to ensure the HAS team adheres to local, VISN and national guidelines, memorandums and directives.
• Provide training, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all administrative procedures related to HAS operations
• Serve as HAS subject matter expert, working closely with the clerks in all clinical and administrative settings.

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant:

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Work Schedule : Monday- Friday 7:30am-4:00pm

Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases

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 # : 21S71-A

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• 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

Basic Requirements :

Citizenship .

Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.g.)

Experience and Education .

Experience. Six months experience of clerical, office, [customer service], or other [administrative] work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position; OR

Education . One year above high school; OR

Experience/Education Combination . Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.

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.

GRADE REQUIREMENTS.

a. Creditable Experience

(1) Knowledge of [ ] MSA Practices . To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities [or an equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting]. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as [an] MSA or [an equivalent position in a non-VA hospital or clinic setting].

(2) Quality of Experience . Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience [or equivalent administrative clinical support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting] at the next lower grade level. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty), and a range of [varieties] as described in this standard, at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

(3) Part-Time Experience . Part-time experience as [an MSA or equivalent administrative patient support in] a [non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting] is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, [an] MSA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive [one] full-time workweek of credit for each [two] weeks of service.

Grade Determinations . [In addition to the basic requirements for employment listed in paragraph 3 above, the] following [education and experience] criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:

Supervisory Medical Support Assistant, GS-8

Experience . One year of experience equivalent to the [GS-7] grade level [leading or supervising MSAs or equivalent administrative patient support staff in a non-VA medical inpatient, outpatient, or interdisciplinary setting.]

Assignment . [Supervisory MSAs at this level plan and direct programs at medical centers and/or satellite outpatient clinics. They have full responsibility for supervising at least one subordinate MSA team leader, supervisor, or equivalent administrative patient support staff in a non-VA medical inpatient, outpatient, or interdisciplinary setting. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: evaluating the work of subordinate staff; resolving complex problems to ensure patient services are met; evaluating new products, equipment, and systems to make recommendations for improved operations; identifying educational or training needs; making final decisions on hiring selections; evaluating performance, and taking disciplinary action when necessary. The employee has administrative and professional responsibility for planning and directing the subordinate lead, supervisor, and MSA's activities. Responsible for extracting and analyzing data to provide reports to senior management in support of tracking measures.] For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities .

Candidates must demonstrate [all of] the KSAs below:

i. Ability to provide the full range of administrative and supervisory duties [to at least one subordinate MSA supervisor or team leader in a patient support setting which includes assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, and recommendation of awards and/or advancements.]

ii. Ability to collaborate, communicate, and demonstrate customer service and interpersonal skills with internal and external customers to ensure quality/continuity of care and ensure compliance with established policies and regulations.

iii. Ability to provide briefings, orientations, staff development, and training [in a patient support setting].

iv. Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and identify budget needs.

[v. Advanced knowledge of managing or leading patient support staff in a clinic. This includes independently utilizing reference sources, decision making, and empowering the team to collaborate and resolve problems within a complex systems environment.]

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8.

Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary but also demands standing, walking, bending, twisting, and carrying 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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