Lead Medical Support Assistant

Summary The incumbent will serve as a Lead Medical Support Assistant in the Health Administration Service. Duties may be performed in the following settings: Primary Care, Surgery, Medical Service, Specialty Clinics, Benetravel, Eligibility and Enrollment, Inpatient units, and Outpatient Clinics that require MAS support at the Washington DC VA medical center and its sister locations within the Community Based Outpatinent Clinic (CBOC). Qualifications 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: None Education: High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education Documentation Requirements for Proof of High School Completion or higher: If using post-high school education to substitute for experience at the GS-04 or GS-05, submit a copy of your unofficial or official college transcript with your application If selected prior to a firm job offer, provide one of the following as verification of the education requirement: copy of high school diploma, high school transcript (unofficial or official), GED Certificate, homeschooling completion, proficiency certificate issued by a State or Territorial Board or Department of Education, or college transcript (official) Certification 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 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 part of the basic requirements of the occupation For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time of appointment, the following provisions apply: such employees may be reassigned, promoted, or changed to a lower grade within the occupation Employees 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 If an employee converted to Title 38 hybrid status 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 must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs Physical Requirements See VA Directive and Handbook Grade Requirements Lead Medical Support Assistant – GS-7 Experience One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level Creditable Experience Knowledge of MSA Practices – 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 or non-paid employment as an MSA or an equivalent position in a non-VA hospital or clinic setting 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 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 (e.g., 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) Examples of specialized experience include: providing specialized administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery mode; work involves specialized administrative judgment and flexible use of a wide range of clinical flow processes for access to care across multiple clinics and specialties; recommends changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines; expertise in advanced patient systems; coordinates with the patient care team to review clinic appointment availability and ensures clinic schedules are closely monitored to support clinic needs; and makes adjustments as necessary Assignment The Lead MSA is responsible for the coordination of Advanced MSA assignments and workflow in an interdisciplinary unit Daily workload assessments, assigning work, and ensuring proper staffing coverage Evaluating training records and determining training needs of MSAs to provide support across interdisciplinary settings Assists the unit with complex and non-standard procedures, including clinical flow processes related to access to care across multiple clinics and community resources Assignments include ensuring accurate and timely scheduling of appointments; providing guidance to staff members, including changes in policies and procedures; creating and maintaining employee work schedules; and acting as a liaison among Advanced MSA staff, patients, and other interdisciplinary staff to resolve day-to-day conflicts For assignments qualifying above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity, and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Advanced knowledge of medical terminology and a wide range of clinical flow processes for access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and community resources Ability to utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting Ability to organize work, set priorities, and delegate tasks to meet deadlines Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff Ability to provide staff development and training Ability to manage staffing requirements, workflow priorities, and adjust the flow of work to meet team and patient needs Follow-up on pending issues and demonstrate an understanding of the impact of incomplete work across multiple clinics Reference: For more information on this qualification standard – visit The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-7. Duties Work independently as the chief source of patient information and accomplish administrative duties within outpatient clinics Schedule appointments in accordance with VHA Directive 1230(3) and VHA Directive 1232(2), including canceling, re‑scheduling, and handling no‑show patient appointments and/or consults Verify and update patient demographics, including insurance data, and ensure all patients are identified by photo identification Receive and route all Veterans who report to the facility for scheduled and unscheduled examinations and appointments, ensuring electronic check‑in Explain in detail upcoming appointments to Veterans, ensuring they understand what they must do and where to go for their work‑up Capture scheduling preferences and complete open disposition lists Ensure clinic staff utilize Recall List (Delinquent), Return to Clinic Orders (Query from VS GUI), insurance capture buffer report, Upcoming appointment with no enrollment, VAOS report, bene‑travel consults report, and consult tracking manager report Ensure patient encounters are completed for clinics assigned by the end of each business day, including no‑show and cancellation records via AudioCare, VeText, and other systems Give encounters to providers at the end of each business day Inform Veterans of community care wait times Collect Patient Tracking forms and ensure consults greater than 30 days have proper documentation for additional scheduling attempts or dispositioning directed by the provider Ensure clinic staff use the insurance capture buffer exception list and Vet Link appropriately for assigned clinics Receive and process phone inquiries, respond to routine questions, and refer complex patient care questions appropriately Direct patients to Beneficiary Travel for transportation support and mileage reimbursement when required; receive, process, and arrange travel for eligible Veterans when requested Monitor and make daily work assignments, resolve daily workplace issues, and maintain efficient workflow in assigned clinics Determine and accurately verify legal eligibility of all patients presenting for care; counsel patients whose eligibility is not established and file documentation in the enrollment system; follow‑up to ensure eligibility is verified and review eligibility and financial assessment status; update records when required Complete daily rounds to ensure adequate administrative support coverage in all areas, distributing and balancing workload in assigned clinic areas Orient and provide on‑the‑job training for new and current employees as required Ensure AMSAs are well informed of management goals, directives, new procedures, instructions, and techniques required in their sections Monitor pre‑appointment requirements to ensure readiness for patient visits; perform administrative follow‑up actions; evaluate patient information and clinic schedule lists Ensure accurate daily posting of employee time assigned to specific T&L unit Other duties include, but are not limited to, ensuring all patient areas are covered during episodes of vacancies, annual leave, and sick leave; responsible for other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Multiple tours of duties, including rotating weekends and holidays; Telework: Not Available; Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 260050F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized #J-18808-Ljbffr U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs