Medical Support Assistant

Medical Support Assistant

The Greater Los Angeles VA Health Care System is seeking a highly energetic candidate to fill the Medical Support Assistant vacancy at the Downtown LAACC Outpatient Clinic. The ideal candidate must be skilled in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns and ensure overall customer satisfaction and resolution. In addition, the candidate must possess the ability to operate computer programs, and scheduling of appointments. Responsibilities include serving as a Medical Support Assistant (MSA) in a clinical team based model in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The work includes functions such as serving as an initial point of contact for the units, outpatient clinics, and patients, to include scheduling patient appointments, tracking, reviewing, and responding to electronic orders, consults, and other elements in the electronic medical record and medical systems. This series includes work that requires a practical knowledge of computerized data entry, information processing systems and software related to patient care, the healthcare system's organization and services, basic rules and regulations governing visitors and patient treatment, knowledge of standard procedures, utilizing medical records, and medical terminology. The team works collaboratively with other members of an expanded healthcare primary care team including pharmacists, social workers, dieticians, behavioral health staff, to provide a robust interdisciplinary approach to care. Major duties include, but are not limited to : coordinating information and actions related to patient care and services; scheduling patient appointments for treatment in accordance with VHA national directives and local standard operating procedures; answering multiline phone systems and retrieving voicemails to determine appropriate actions; interviewing patients for appointments; referring patients to other medical specialty clinics as required; providing information to patients necessary to resolve complaints; interacting with customers, in-person, over the phone and through correspondence both written and electronically through various systems; reviewing and documenting medical electronic health records and administrative records; verifying and updating demographics and third party insurance information; providing excellent customer service; participating in team huddles and meetings; assisting with coverage for other respective clinics; advising clinical staff on current administrative processes; assisting with training to clinic specific requirements when needed; running administrative reports for the clinical team and taking appropriate action (consults, no shows); coordinating emergency transfers to other VA hospitals or private hospitals and determining eligibility status; working independently with minimal supervision; coordinating the release of information to various organizations in support of direct patient care needs; and working rotated weekends and holidays throughout the year as needed. Work Schedule : Monday-Friday 8am-4 : 30pm Compressed / Flexible : Not Authorized Telework : Not Authorized Virtual : This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement # : 000000 Relocation / Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS) : Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment : Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. 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. 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. Qualifications : 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. English Language Proficiency. MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.j. Experience. Six months experience of 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 position OR, Education. One year above high school OR, Experience / Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable. Certification. None required. Customer Service Must have at least six months of customer service experience in a position that required daily direct customer interactions. Meets the needs of the Veteran customers while supporting VA missions. Consistently communicates and treats customers (Veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Provides the Veteran with consistent information according to established policies and procedures. Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately. 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). 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). Grandfathering Provision. All MSAs employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, which are a part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply : (1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted, or changed to a lower grade within the occupation. (2) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. (3) If an employee who was converted to Title 38 hybrid status under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. 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. Grade Determinations : In addition to the basic requirements for employment listed in paragraph 3 above, the following education and experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates : Medical Support Assistant, GS-5 Experience : One year of experience equivalent to the GS-4 grade level; OR, Education. Four years of education above high school. Assignment. This is the full performance level for MSAs. At this level, the MSA independently performs a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes. The MSA is responsible for answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit, scheduling appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to : scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments and / or consults; entering no-show information; monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic sources; participating in huddles with other MSAs and / or clinic staff to determine the daily needs of the clinic monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility; verifying and updating demographics and insurance information when patients check-in for appointments. Coordinates administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals and determines appointment type based on the patient's eligibility status i.e., TRICARE, sharing agreements, collaterals, research patient, VA employee, etc.). Reference : For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https : / / www.va.gov / ohrm / QualificationStandards / . VA Handbook 5005 / 117 Part II, Appendix G45, page II-G45-10, para. 4(b)(4). The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-05. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-05. Physical Requirements : The work is sedentary. Typically, the employee sits comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items such as papers, books, small parts; or driving an automobile, etc. No special physical demands are required to perform the work. The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, meeting and training rooms, or libraries. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. Education IMPORTANT : A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education