Medical Support Assistant

Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

The incumbent serves as an Advanced Medical Support Assistant in the Mental Health Service Line at the CRRC (Community Referral and Resource Center). Located in Maplewood, MN (CBOC). The incumbent's work impacts the administrative aspect of patient care.

Major duties include:

• The incumbent's work impacts the administrative aspect of patient care, including: access, scheduling/coordinating appointments using advanced clinic access principles, collecting and updating demographic and insurance information, managing the Electronic Waiting List (EWL), patient processing and customer service.
• The incumbent plays an integral role in identifying and developing ways to resolve problems with the administrative and clinical staff on access, customer service, patient flow, revenue, and data validation issues.
• The Advanced MSA works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model (i.e. PACT) and performs receptionist duties, customer service and other duties assigned for the proper and timely treatment of patients and maintains appointment schedules for one or more outpatient clinics.
• He/she must assist with clinic access contingency plans by adjusting appointment times, location, or dates as well as shift patients to other healthcare providers as conflict with staffing and/or coverage occurs.
• The MSA is able to independently manage position responsibilities with little supervision as well as set priorities and deadlines adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs.
• The MSA participates in the daily team let huddles and weekly team meetings where patient care planning and management occur, except during staff shortages for coverage.
• Coordinates administrative services for veterans, family members, caregivers, and general public, administrative and clinical staff to insure continuity of inpatient and outpatient care.
• The ability to distribute and balance the workload among employees in accordance with established work flow or job specialization, assures timely accomplishment of the assigned workload and assures that each employee has enough work to keep busy.
• Incumbent must have the knowledge to assume the role of a Program Support Assistant (Care Facilitator) or Medical Support Assistant (MSA) during special projects or heavy workload, for leave, vacancies, or when the Program Support Assistants (Care Facilitators) are detailed to fill-in other areas.
• Generates patient workload reports for validation and monitors activity in clinical areas to assure consistent and accurate reporting.
• Organizes and implements quality assurance monitors; prepares a wide variety of administrative reports and documents for supervisor and Health Administration Service/Business Office.
• Conducts patient/employee surveys, interviews, observes workflow; guides patients through hospital system, inputs referrals, documents complaints, and provides follow-up and suggests resolutions to supervisor.
• Incumbent must be able to interpret and communicate requirements of VHA Scheduling Directives and complete accurate scheduling responsibilities. Schedules appointments and utilize the EWL accurately in a timely manner.
• Incumbent intervenes to resolve difficult problems and diffuses potential dissatisfaction with VA services in order to prevent congressional and adverse publicity.
• Incumbent must maintain the ability to perform the varied and complex duties of each of the Program Support Assistants (Care Facilitators) and the Medical Support Assistants in the Clinical Support Section located in various clinical areas throughout the medical center, some of campus or on irregular tours.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday- 0800-1630. Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized. Telework: Not Eligible. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.

Conditions of employment include:

• 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 examination.
• 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.