Medical Support Assistant

This position is in the Care in the Community Service at VA Central Texas Health Care System (CTXVHCS), Temple, Texas. The work requires a basic degree of judgment in responding to both employee, patient, vendor concerns and providing solutions to process problems. The MSA can independently perform position responsibilities with frequent supervision and demonstrates the ability to follow set priorities and deadlines, adjusting the flow and sequence of work to meet team and/or patient needs.

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.

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).

• United States Citizenship:
  Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Experience. No experience required.
• Education
  . High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• 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.
• Licensure/Certification/Registration. None
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• 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).

GS-3: None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-4:
Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-3). Experience includes, but is not limited to: applying general rules and policies relating to clinic functions, staff, and automated data processing methods in support of treatment to patients; utilize a variety of patient data systems in scheduling patients for treatment and annotates patient records; perform front desk duties, receives telephone call, and visitors to the MSA unit;

make and cancel appointments, review patient records for necessary information, and review patient demographics and insurance verification; consult with clinic staff when processing physician scheduling and administrative orders.;
OR,
Education: One year of education above high school. (Transcript Required)

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

• 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.
• 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.

GS-5:
Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-4). Experience includes, but is not limited to: scheduling and rescheduling patients for treatment; interviewing patients for appointments; referring patients to other medical specialty clinics; providing information to patients necessary to resolve complaints; interacting with both internal and external customers; reviewing and documenting medical outpatient and inpatient electronic health records, as well as administrative records;

verifying third party insurance and updating information in the Insurance Capture Buffer (ICB) system; obtaining medical…