Medical Support Assistant

Summary

The MSA of this position is responsible for initiating and performing a variety of clerical and administrative duties associated with patient care and treatment on various tours of duty on any patient care unit of the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System (CTVHCS). Assignments may be changed on an hour‑to‑hour basis – determined by workload and availability of personnel. The MSA acts as back‑up MSA to other units as need.

• VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant:  Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant:  Major Duties as Assigned – but not limited to:
  The MSA provides daily administrative inpatient operations
• to include admissions – transfers – and discharges in accordance with established procedures and scheduling of outpatient appointments in accordance with the business rules in VHA Directive 1230(3) – Outpatient Scheduling Processes and Procedures
• The performance of these daily administrative inpatient operations applies to all inpatient units
• The MSA has the knowledge – skills – and ability to perform these functions in all Inpatient Care locations – as this position requires rotation to a variety of inpatient settings to perform these duties
• Inpatient units include but are not limited to: (Blind Rehab – Community Living Center (CLC) – Medical Unit – Surgical Unit – Intensive Care Unit (ICU) – PACU – COVID Unit – Domiciliary – Mental Health Units: Acute – Geriatric Psych – and Substance Abuse) – and Patient Funds
• The MSA provides comprehensive services for all patient transfers (intra‑facility – interfacility – and non‑VA facility) to all acute care beds at the CTVHCS
• This includes determining basic eligibility for medical care – maintaining an electronic Bed Management System (BMS) – determining clinical appropriateness of transfer requests – determining appropriate type and level of service required and arranging transportation when necessary
• The MSA is responsible for maintaining a smooth and efficient flow and quality of work to ensure timely accomplishment of the assigned workload
• The MSA established priority of work assignments and adjusts based on the activities of the unit and the service
• The MSA provides administrative support to the Charge Nurse – Nurse Manager and all other specialty staff assigned to support the day‑to‑day operation of all inpatient units
• Standard administrative duties to ensure smooth and efficient workflow are as follows:
  • Acts as a receptionist for the unit – processing incoming and outgoing telephone calls – recording messages – lab results – etc. – and taking action when required (i.e. – stat or panic values)
  • Directs telephone calls and visitors and communicates information appropriately
  • In the absence of direct clinical personnel – the MSA will answer call lights and take messages as appropriate
  • Coordinates nursing home referrals with unit social worker and nursing staff
  • Performs miscellaneous duties which may include – but are not limited to obtaining office supplies for the unit – scanning – xeroxing needed medical data – faxing – preparing admission – transfer – and discharge packets – distributing mail to staff and patients – obtaining medical records and x-rays – etc
  • Initiating and ensuring completion of work orders for the unit
• The MSA follows established procedures for admissions – discharges – and transfers of patients
• For discharges the MSA makes outpatient care appointments with the primary care provider and annotates this in CPRS utilizing the MAS:
  Inpatient Clerk Discharge Note
• The MSA processes physicians' orders by identifying priority of STAT and routine orders and takes appropriate action by notifying personnel or services responsible
• The MSA schedules and arranges patient appointments to avoid conflict of treatment
• Next notifies professional staff of appointments pending and any special preparation needs
• Enters movement appointments for patient transport and follows up to ensure patients arrive at the appointment
• Work Schedule:
  
  Thursday‑Monday (off Tuesday/Wednesday) 3:30pm‑midnight
• Saturday‑Sunday 7:30am – 4:00pm Telework:
  Not Available Virtual:
  This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 0000/Medical Support Assistant Relocation/Recruitment
  
  Incentives:
  
  Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS):
  Not Authorized