Medical Support Assistant (part - time)

Medical Support Assistant

The purpose of these positions is to serve as a Medical Support Assistant (MSA) in the VISN 1, VA New England Healthcare System at the CWM VHA, in Leeds MA. The incumbent 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 Coordinate Care delivery model (Patient Aligned Care Team, or Specialty Care Setting).

Responsibilities include scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient's appointments and/or consults; entering no-show information; monitoring the electronic wait list; preparing for clinic visits; monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments for areas of responsibility; ensuring encounter forms are completed in order to obtain appropriate workload credit; verifying and updating demographics and insurance information; processing all emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals; performing basic eligibility, co-pays and preauthorization requirements for specific coverage (i.e., TRICARE, sharing agreements, etc.). Other duties include collecting and updating insurance information from Veterans, family members and other eligible patients; preparing correspondence and memos as needed; screening and receiving phone calls in a courteous and timely manner; ensuring data is entered into VISTA accurately and scanning documents into VISTA Imaging within 24 hours of entering the data into VISTA if applicable; promoting Veteran registration for and utilization of HealtheVet (MHV); stocking basic office supplies for the clinical area; entering Veterans seeking emergent/urgent care, scheduling appointments accurately; utilizing call lists and telephones Veterans to pre-register them before their scheduled visits; and updating all patient demographics. The incumbent 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. Additional duties or tasks may be assigned by the supervisor to ensure efficient daily operations.

Work Schedule: Part-Time, 20 hours a week, Monday-Friday, 8:00am-12:00pm, EST.

Recruitment Incentive (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)

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)

Requirements

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.

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.

Qualifications

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.

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.

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.

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:

In addition to the basic requirements for employment listed above, the following education and experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

GS-03 Medical Support Assistant: Experience or Education: None beyond the basic requirements.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:

Ability to meet, communicate, and interact with individuals in a courteous and helpful manner in order to give instructions and arrange appointments.

Ability to utilize computer systems to enter administrative data in patient systems.

Ability to learn and utilize basic medical terminology to record patient messages and physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care.

GS-04 Medical Support Assistant: 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, Education: Two years of education above high school.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the above Experience of Education, candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:

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.

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.

Knowledge of basic medical terminology to assist in the provision of care to patients.

Skill in recording patient messages and understanding physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care in internal or external clinics.

GS-05 Medical Support Assistant: Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-04 grade level; OR, Education: Four years of education above high school.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the above Experience of Education, 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