Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo

The incumbent serves as a Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) for the Behavioral Health Service at Harry S. Truman VA Hospital. The incumbent coordinates duties that directly support the Service in advanced scheduling efforts that facilitate performance measure success, consult referrals, and the overall establishment and maintenance of the flow of patient care throughout all teams within the service, to include the PTSD Clinical Team, Addictions Treatment Program, Behavior Health Recovery Team, Behavioral Medicine and Neuropsychological Services, and both telemed and therapy services at each CBOC.

The duties include but are not limited to:

• Identifies incomplete encounter information and communicates findings to providers to facilitate accurate workload credit and revenue collection.
• Ensures all necessary health/administrative information are integrated into Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS).
• Performs receptionist customer service duties.
• Screens/receives phone calls in a courteous manner, determine nature of requests, and provide the desired information using privacy rules.
• Responds to urgent written (faxed) requests for medical information from hospitals and/or doctors.
• Schedules appointments and utilizes the Electronic Waiting List accurately in a timely manner.
• Provides administrative support to Physicians, Psychologists, Nurses, Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners, Social Workers, and other administrative and professional staff throughout the Behavioral Health Service area..
• Serves as timekeeper for entire Behavioral Health Service Line.

Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday
Telework: Ad-hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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. 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.
• Licensure/Certification/Registration. None
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

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:

GS-6

Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.

AND

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

(a) 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.
(b) 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.
(c) Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.
(d) 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.
(e) Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.
(f) 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.

Preferred Experience: None

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-6.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Documentation Requirements for Proof of High School Completion or higher if using post-high school education to substitute for experience at the GS-05, you must submit a copy of your unofficial or official college transcript with your application. If selected, to meet the basic requirement of high school education or equivalent and prior to a firm job offer being extended, applicants must provide one of the following as verification of the education requirement if not covered under the grandfathering provision:

• Copy of high school diploma OR high school transcript (unofficial or official) OR GED Certificate OR homeschooling completion OR proficiency certificate issued by a State or Territorial Board or Department of Education OR college transcript (official)

There is no education substitution for the GS-6 grade level.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.