Lead Medical Support Assistant

This Lead Medical Support Assistant position is within the Community Care Service at the VA Maine Healthcare System in Augusta, Maine. It is permanent and full-time at 40 hours per week.

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

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

The incumbent oversees and evaluates the work of all MSAs, working with clinical staff to resolve complex problems and ensure patient services are accomplished; evaluating equipment, systems and processes and making recommendations for improved operations; identifying education and training needs of staff and evaluating scheduling practices. Some duties include, but are not limited to:

• Provides educational sessions to train new employees in clerical process in an efficient and effective manner to ensure that clerical processes, functions and goals are understood and met.
• Utilizes knowledge of VA policies, regulations, guidelines and process as they relate to the scheduling of patient appointments, consults, NEAR, Electronic Wait Lists, and pre-appointment clinical requirements (i.e. labs, EKGs, x-rays) to ensure readiness for the patient visit.
• Monitors clinic's Access to care.
• Monitors ICB usage ensuring insurance is collected at time of appointments and captured appropriately by the incumbent and other scheduling staff.
• Must keep abreast of rapidly changing regulations, directives, software patches, programs, and processes involved in the delivery of the healthcare benefits package.
• Assists with the clean-up of the EARR (Encounter Action Required Report) and delinquent recall report; supports clinics regarding utilization and clinic profile management i.e. set-up of clinic grids, cancel and restore clinics.
• Screens/receive phone calls in a courteous and timely manner, determine the nature of request and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processes.
• Prepares correspondence and memos as needed.
• Promotes Veteran registration for and utilization of HealtheVet (MHV)
• Stocks basic office supplies for the executive suite.
• Enters Veterans seeking emergent/urgent care, scheduling appointments accurately.
• Utilizes call lists and telephones Veterans to pre-register them before their scheduled visits.
• Communicates and interacts with patients in a manner which is appropriate to cognitive, emotional, and chronological maturation needs of the adult and/or geriatric patient.
• Assures that all appropriate VA forms are used correctly, and regulations followed.
• Additional duties or tasks may be assigned by the supervisor to ensure efficient daily operations.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. OR 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Not Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: F01612
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Notifications:

• Due to a critical staffing shortage, 38 U.S.C. § 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcement.
• This position is covered by a special rate.
• Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.

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: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C. § 7402(d).
• Experience: None.
• Education: High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. §7402(d).

Documentation Requirements for Proof of High School Completion or higher:

If using post-high school education to substitute for experience at the GS-04 or 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)

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-07:

In addition to the basic requirements for employment listed above, the following experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:

Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-06).

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.The candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology and a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community.
• Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff.
• Ability to utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting.
• Ability to organize work, set priorities, and delegate tasks/responsibilities in order to meet deadlines.
• Ability to provide staff development and training.
• Ability to manage staffing requirements, manage workflow priorities, and adjust the flow of work to meet team and patient needs. This includes the ability to follow-up on pending issues and demonstrate an understanding of the impact of incomplete work across multiple clinics.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: See VA Handbook 5019.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an adequately lighted and climate-controlled office.

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/.

• 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.
• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• 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.