Summary This position is located under the Health Administration Service (HAS). This position continually supports the mission, vision, and values of the VA Healthcare System. The Medical Support Assistant provides medical administrative support to Veterans Hospitals and Clinics throughout HAS. The Medical Support Assistant is responsible for accurate appointment management and the coordination of all administrative information between the professional staff and the patient. Responsibilities The Medical support assistant (MSA) plays a critical role in coordination patient care across various healthcare services, ensuring seamless scheduling and support within the VA System. This position requires strong attention to detail, the ability to manage multiple task efficiently, and a commitment to providing excellent patient service. Medical Support Assistant Duties consist of but are not limited to the following: Performs data entry, updates and verifies demographic information, no-show information. Schedules appointments and collects insurance information. Initiates and carries out a variety of administrative duties in support of patient care. Responsible for checking patients in upon arrival. Coordinates with team members to assure that patients are seen at their scheduled time within the clinic setting. Processes new enrollees and transfer patients by using Register Once, when needed. Contacts the travel office to arrange necessary transportation following established guidelines. Work Schedule: The Bay Pines VA Medical Center is a 24/7 operation and has openings for various shifts and locations. Available tours are listed below: 6:30am-3:00pm, 7:00am-3:30pm, 7:30am-4:00pm, 8:00am-4:30pm, 8:30am-5:00pm, 9:00am-5:30pm, 9:30am-6:00pm, 10:00am-6:30pm, 3:30pm-12:00am, 11:30pm-8:00am to include weekend and holiday coverage. Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 21826F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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. You may be required to serve a probationary period. 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification 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). 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. 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. Certification. None required. 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 such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. 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).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 a part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees may be reassigned, promoted, or changed to a lower grade] within the occupation. Grade Determinations: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-679-4 grade level Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-04 grade level; OR Education: Four years of education above high school leading to a Bachelors Degree. 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 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.. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 1. Ability to operate computerized programs and systems in order to enter, modify and retrieve medical and patient identifying information (PII) into or from electronic health records, scheduling systems and/or reports. 2. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients. 3. Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting. 4. Ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work. 5. Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by phone, with internal and external customers. 6.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-679-5 Physical Requirements: The Medical Support Assistant work is mostly sedentary; however, some walking; standing, and carrying light items are required. Light filing, sometimes involving working close to the floor, is involved. Wrist and back protection can be provided to minimize the risks associated with prolonged use of automated data processing equipment. Education Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
