Medical support assistant

Summary This Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) (MSA) for the Kansas City VA Medical Center (KCVAMC) is located within Radiology.

Responsibilities Kansas City Veteran's Affair is committed to Diversity and Inclusion. Together, we strive to create and maintain a working and learning environment that promotes professional growth and teamwork.

We offer an inclusive, equitable, and welcoming environment where we celebrate our individual differences and unite as a team toward a common goal of providing outstanding service to our Nation's Veterans.

Duties include but are not limited to : Scheduling / coordinating appointments using advanced clinic access principles; Collecting and updating demographic and insurance information;

Patient processing, to include clinic flow, and customer service. Has advanced knowledge of medical terminology that stems from experience gained to properly triage improperly ordered exams and preps.

The incumbent is able to burn CDs with patient exam images and other protected health information and distributing them to the requesting patient, physician or service accurately and timely.

Assists PACT teams, clinics and other services with Radiology access contingency plans by adjusting appointment times, location and / or dates as well as shift patients to other healthcare / clinic providers to effectively and efficiently coordinate care.

Schedules exams with both internal and external sources, coordinates inpatient add-on exams for timely discharge to outpatient status.

Identifies lab values and communicates with Radiologist, Radiologic Techs and providers for scheduling purposes. Generates pending / hold report and identifies access to care per National VHA directives and mandates to ensure accuracy of access and resolves outdated or otherwise incomplete orders.

Routinely communicates with physicians, case managers, and other allied health professional staff on complex cases using sound interpersonal skills and is constantly aware of the sensitivity of the patient's information as it pertains to HIPPA guidelines.

Manages the flow and scheduling of patients by tracking orders with consideration of Clinically Indicated Date, Patient Indicated Date guidelines based on the status of the request i.

e. routine, urgent or stat and notifies the supervisor when clinic access is less than desirable or if an individual patient cannot be scheduled within the given guidelines.

Tracks and informs Radiology MSA Supervisor of obsolete orders in need of cancellation. Uses various digital and telephonic means to message and communicate with clinics, providers and patients.

Utilizes the checklist to ensure the needs of the service are being met. Screens / receives phone calls in a courteous and timely manner, determining the nature of requests and provides the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processes.

Participates in the daily huddles and monthly departmental meetings where patient care planning and management occur and add input for their section for possible performance improvement opportunities.

Coordinates administrative services for Veterans, PACT teams, caregivers, administrative and clinical staff to insure continuity of inpatient and outpatient care as set forth by the requesting provider and is documented in CPRS.

Identifies and communicates exam preps to patient for each exam scheduled to ensure proper readiness of patient for procedure.

Identifies and resolves operational issues through proper performance improvement measures and reports to the service either directly or indirectly through the Radiology MSA Supervisor or Lead Radiology AMSA the recommended fix.

Identifies and resolves equipment issues whether by performing the task or requesting assistance from IT or Biomed. Identifies the next or other available appointment to ensure proper completion of the requested exam per CID or PID.

Utilizes CPRS to alert providers and other clinical teams to the exams that cross services and institutions by use of electronic or telephonic means.

Conducts special audits, studies, or surveys to be utilized in the development of procedures, and to assist employees in collecting complete and appropriate data for reporting processes and for generating revenue.

Performs daily reminder calls for scheduled appointments, review of any cancelled appointments, review of pending appointments for accuracy and disposition.

Incumbent receives records and ensures that all necessary health / administrative information are integrated into Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) by sending the documents to scanning / uploading to Release of Information or the Diagnostic Imaging ADPAC.

Work Schedule : Monday - Friday 8 : 30am - 5 : 00pm Telework : Not available Virtual : This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement # : 00000 Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) Relocation / Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS) : Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report : Not required 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.

Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

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 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.

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. 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).

Creditable Experience : (1) Knowledge of MSA Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities or an equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting.

Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid / non-paid employment as a MSA or an equivalent position in a non-VA hospital or clinic setting.

2) Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience or equivalent administrative clinical support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting at the next lower grade level.

For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty), and a range of varieties as described in this standard, at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

3) Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as an MSA or equivalent administrative patient support in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek.

For example, an MSA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1 / 2-time basis, would receive one full-time workweek of credit for each two weeks of service.

Grade Determination : GS-6 : Experience. In addition to the Basic Requirements above, candidates must have one (1) year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level (this experience includes knowledge of medical terminology, experience with patient record systems, scheduling patient appointments, and ability to communicate with medical professionals.

AND- must demonstrate all of the KSAs below : Ability to collaborate and communicate with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines (e.

g. medical doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, clinical pharmacists, and nursing staff) to accomplish team goal setting to ensure medical care to patients is met.

Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.

Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively electronically, by phone, in person, and in writing, with internal and external customers.

This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels, as well as resolving patient concerns.

Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process (including, but not limited to, scheduling across interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and / or care in the community models and patient health care portals) as it relates to access to care.

Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and / or care in the community operational activities that affect patient flow, and patient support care administrative functions to include, but not limited to appointment cycles, outside patient referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, provider availability, etc.

Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians. References : VA HANDBOOK 5005 / 117 Part II Appendix G45, Medical Support Assistant Series, Revised August 1, 2019 Physical Requirements : This position is a moderately sedentary position, with work being performed at a desk with computer.

No special physical qualifications are required to perform the work. However, emotional stability is required to make sound decisions and resolve crisis situations.

The work requires ability to move around the office and to carry such items as records, books, and equipment. Preferred Experience : Scheduling, phone work, some medical terminology, prior Healthcare experience and customer service experience.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. Education IMPORTANT : A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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 : 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 : Additional Information How applicants will be referred : This is an open continuous announcement.

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available.

Applicants will remain on file until 12 / 31 / 2024. Applicants expiration : Applicants will remain active for 6 months after their initial application is received and / or updated.

after that time, you must update your application through your USAjobs account if you would like to be made active again for possible consideration during the open period.

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.

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.

To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees.

Therefore, to the extent a VA job announcement includes language requiring applicants to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to Executive Order 14043, that requirement does not currently apply to this Job Announcement.

VA may request information regarding your vaccination status, if selected, for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.

Last updated : 2024-03-04