Summary

This Medical Support Assistant (MSA) position is in the following services Ambulatory Care Business Office (ACBO), and Health Administration (MAS) services at the VA Maine Healthcare Systems, located at the Togus location. This position is a full-time at 40 hours per week. *** This announcement has been amended to include Health Administration Services.*** Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf

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
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
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: GS-3 MSA: Entry Level: (a) Experience or Education: None beyond the basic requirements
(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Candidates must demonstrate the KSAs below: i
Ability to meet, communicate, and interact with individuals in a courteous and helpful manner in order to give instructions and arrange appointments
ii
Ability to utilize computer systems to enter administrative data in patient systems
iii
Ability to learn and utilize basic medical terminology to record patient messages and physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care
GS-4 MSA: Developmental Level: (a) Experience: One year of experience in 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, (b) Education: Two years of education above high school
(c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Candidates must demonstrate the KSAs below: i
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
ii
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
iii
Knowledge of basic medical terminology to assist in the provision of care to patients
iv
Skill in recording patient messages and understanding physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care in internal or external clinics
GS-5 MSA Full Performance Level: (a) Experience or Education: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level or 4 years of education above high school
(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Candidates must demonstrate the KSAs below: i
Ability to operate computerized programs and systems in order to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient identifying information into or from electronic health records, scheduling systems, and/or reports
ii
Advanced knowledge of basic medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients
iii
Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting
iv
Ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work
v
Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone, with internal and external customers
vi
Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns, and refer to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution
References: See VA Handbook 5005/53, Part II, Appendix G reference and appropriate VA Qualification Standard
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: The majority of work is performed in an office setting, primarily while seated
The position requires some standing, ambulation, bending and carrying of items such as training manuals
In addition, there can be increased stress due to the intensity of a patient/customer complaint or concern.

Duties

"The Medical Support Assistant is responsible for a wide range of assignments and provides administrative support to increase scheduling and communication integrity across all services.
Work is performed collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.
Duties may include, but are not limited to: Collects and updates insurance information from Veterans, family members and other eligible patients.
Prepares correspondence and memos as needed.
Screens/receive phone calls in a courteous and timely manner, determine the nature of request and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processes.
Ensures data is entered into VISTA accurately and scans documents into VISTA Imaging within 24 hours of entering the data into VISTA if applicable.
Promotes Veteran registration for and utilization of HealtheVet (MHV).
Stocks basic office supplies for the clinical area.
Enters Veterans seeking emergent/urgent care, scheduling appointments accurately.
Utilizes call lists and telephones Veterans to pre-register them before their scheduled visits.
Incumbent updates all patient demographics.
Communicates and interacts with patients in a manner which is appropriate to cognitive, emotional, and chronological maturation needs of the adult and/or geriatric patient.
Assures that all appropriate VA forms are used correctly, and regulations followed.
Additional duties or tasks may be assigned by the supervisor to ensure efficient daily operations.
Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met.
Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.
Medical Support Assistant: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-MSA-VA-Career-Flyer.pdf Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not Available Functional Statement #: F03813,F01390,F03812 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required 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) Notification Information: This position is in the Excepted Service.
This position is an AFGE Bargaining Unit position.
Due to a critical staffing shortage, 38 U.S.C.
7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcement.
This position is covered by a special rate.
Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action).
The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).
In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.
Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.
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)."