The Medical Support Assistant (MSA) is a staff position located under the Health Administrative Service at the VA New Jersey Health Care System. The VANJHCS is an integrated level 1B system comprising of two facilities: East Orange and Lyons, and ten Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCS) located throughout the State.
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 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; 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 Grade Determination: Medical Support assistant GS-05 Experience . One year of experience equivalent to the GS-4 grade level; OR, Education. Four years of education above high school. Assignment. This is the full performance level for MSAs. At this level, the MSA independently performs a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes. The MSA is responsible for answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit, scheduling appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults; entering no-show information; monitoring 6 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.). Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 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. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients. 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. Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns, and refer to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.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-5 to GS-5. 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). Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
Major Duties Scheduling & Appointment Management- Schedule, cancel, reschedule, recall patient appointments, consultations, and C&P exams Patient Communication- Make reminder calls, send appointment letters, explain eligibility, and advise ineligible veterans on next steps. Records & Data Management- Retrieve/re-file patient charts, print records, reconcile appointments, maintain no-show and wait list data, and complete encounter forms for workload credit. Insurance & Eligibility- Verify/update demographics and insurance, determine veterans' eligibility, process consent forms and complete capture. Administrative Support- Prepare for clinic visits, support outpatient clinics, monitor clinic availability, authorize travel reimbursements, and generate required reports. Coordination with Staff- Communicate daily with clinical staff, physicians, and case managers regarding scheduling and patient flow. Compliance & Confidentiality- Follow VA regulations, protect patient confidentiality, and maintain awareness of sensitive information. Problem Reporting- Report backlogs, delays, uncooperative physicians and other obstacles to service delivery. Supervision & Independence- Work independently under general supervision, planning and organizing daily tasks to meet deadlines and VA requirements. Perform other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized