Medical Support Assistant

Description:

The Medical Support Assistant positions are assigned to the Veteran Experience Service at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL and provide assistance to Veterans and Medical Center staff.

Requirements:

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.
• BASIC REQUIREMENTS
  CITIZENSHIP: Must be a United States Citizen.
  ENGLISH: Must be proficient in basic written and spoken English.
  EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:
• Must possess six (6) months experience of clerical, office, customer service or other administrative work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skill necessary to perform the duties of the Medical Support Assistant.
  OR
  Must have successfully completed one (1) year above high school. This education must have been obtained in an accredited technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED)
  OR
  Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying for entry level. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED)
  
  IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE, YOU MUST MEET THE GRADE REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION.
  
  GRADE REQUIREMENTS:
  Grade Determinations : GS-3 level
  None beyond the basic requirements listed above.
  AND
  Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
  1. Ability to meet, communicate, and interact with individuals in a courteous and helpful manner in order to give instructions and arrange appointments.
  2. Ability to utilize computer systems to enter administrative data in patient systems.
  3. Ability to learn and utilize basic medical terminology to record patient messages and physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care.
  Grade Determinations : GS-4 level
  Experience: One (1) year of experience in 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 Medical Support Assistant.
  OR,
  Education: Two (2) years of successfully completed education above high school. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED)
  AND,
  Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Knowledge of basic medical terminology to assist in the provision of care to patients.
  4. Skill in recording patient messages and understanding physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care in internal or external clinics.
  
  Grade Determinations : GS-5 level
  Experience: One (1) year of experience that is directly related to the duties of a MSA and that equips you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position. To be creditable, this experience must be equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-4, and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with current MSA responsibilities. Experience at this level 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 information from patients; coordinating information and actions related to patient care and services; and scheduling appointments in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines.
  OR,
  Education: Successful completion of four (4) years of education above high school level. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED)
  AND,
  Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
  1. Ability to operate computerized programs and systems in order to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient identifying information (PII) into or from electronic health records, scheduling systems, and/or reports.
  2. Ability to learn and utilize medical terminology specific to
  3. Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone, with internal and external customers.
  4. Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns, and refer to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution.
  
  References: VA Handbook 5005/117, Part II, Appendix G45, Medical Support Assistant Qualification Standards. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.
  
  Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. Physical demands do not exceed those of a typical office setting. There may be some walking, standing twisting, turning, sitting, pushing, bending, repetitive keyboarding, or carrying of light items. Some positions may require sitting for long periods of time at a computer terminal typing data while talking on a telephone headset.

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).


Reference: VA Handbook 5005/117, Part II, Appendix G45, Medical Support Assistant Qualification Standards. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ .

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-5. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-5.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. Physical demands do not exceed those of a typical office setting. There may be some walking, standing twisting, turning, sitting, pushing, bending, repetitive keyboarding, or carrying of light items. Some positions may require sitting for long periods of time at a computer terminal typing data while talking on a telephone headset.