Lead Medical Support Assistant

Lead Medical Support Assistant

This Lead Medical Support Assistant (LMSA) position is in the Chief of Staff Service. The LMSA works at a two-divisional teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Medical Sciences at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Little Rock, AR. LMSA will work at one of the locations for the two divisions, John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital in Little Rock or Eugene J. Towbin Healthcare Center in North Little Rock but is required to work at the other locations as necessary. Responsibilities Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Lead Medical Support Assistant (LMSA) monitors and makes work assignments, provides input on performance, resolves daily workplace issues and maintains efficient workflow. The primary duties of the Lead Medical Support Assistant (LMSA) may include but are not limited to : Assures coverage of all areas of responsibility. Conducts ongoing reviews to ensure quality of work. Ensures accurate and timely scheduling of appointments. Provides guidance to staff members to include changes in policies and procedures. Distributes and balances workloads. Creates and maintains employee work schedules Conducts orientation and on-the-job training for new and current employees. Ensures all training requirements are met. Organizes the work structure of assigned area Acts as a liaison among MSA staff, patients, and other interdisciplinary staff to resolve day-to-day conflicts Responsible for reporting backlogs and difficulties in meeting deadlines. Responsible for maintaining confidentiality of information obtained to carry out required duties. Works independently making decisions based on guidelines, precedents and regulations. Performs duties in a manner that only requires minimal supervision. Work Schedule : Full-time, Monday - Friday, 8 : 00 a.m. - 4 : 30 p.m., subject to change based on the needs of the service. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus) : Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance) : Not Authorized Pay : Competitive salary and regular salary increases 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 Available Virtual : This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement # : 598-00222-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS) : Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment 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 dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. 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. Must be able to independently operate Government Vehicle. Must provide clean driving record report from the DMV during the pre-employment process. 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 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 and Education. 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. 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 : In addition to the basic requirements for employment the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates : Lead Medical Support Assistant, GS-7 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the [GS-6] grade level. Assignment. The Lead MSA is responsible for the coordination of Advanced MSA assignments and workflow found in an interdisciplinary unit. The Lead MSA is responsible for daily workload assessments, assigning work, and assuring proper staffing coverage; evaluating training records; and determining training needs of MSAs to provide support across interdisciplinary settings. The Lead assists the unit with complex and non-standard procedures, including clinical flow processes related to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and / or community resources. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to : ensuring accurate and timely scheduling of appointments; providing guidance to staff members, to include changes in policies and procedures; creating and maintaining employee work schedules; and acting as a liaison among Advanced MSA staff, patients, and other interdisciplinary staff to resolve day-to-day conflicts. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below : 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 resources. 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. Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff. 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. Preferred Experience : Experience scheduling appointments. Excellent customer service skills. Can maneuver CPRS, VISTA GUI, and VISTA Can pull Consult Reports for pending, active and scheduled. Experience on the ACD line. Ability to multitask. Demonstrated knowledge of clinic management. Assures accuracy in appointment management, clinic utilization, clinic access, and the coordination of all administrative information between professional staff and the patient. Ability to confidently and competently train scheduling staff. Vast knowledge of national and local scheduling policies and SOPs. Reference : For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https : / / www.va.gov / ohrm / QualificationStandards / . The full performance level of this vacancy is GS07. Physical Requirements : Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment. Able to independently operate a motor vehicle. Work Environment : Work is performed in an office / clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations. Education 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 / . Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave : Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may