Lead Medical Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Johnson City, TN

20d • Onsite

About The Position

The Lead Medical Support Assistant (MSA) works in the Business Office Inpatient Care Section as part of an interprofessional healthcare team. The role supports multiple ancillary and interprofessional clinics, determines the needs of Veterans and caregivers, contributes to first-contact resolution through Veteran-centered care, and routes clinical questions to appropriate clinical staff. The Lead MSA coordinates MSA assignments and workflow within an interprofessional coordinated care delivery model.

The position is full-time and onsite, with a Monday–Friday schedule from 3:30 p.m. to midnight. Telework, virtual work, and compressed or flexible scheduling are not available. The position is generally sedentary and involves operating a computer terminal and managing multiple activities. Some walking, standing, bending, and carrying light items may be required. Work can be stressful during accelerated periods of peak clinic activity or high-volume days.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, except that non-citizens may be appointed when recruiting qualified citizens is not possible under 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level for the GS-7 Lead MSA position.
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology and clinical flow processes related to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community settings.
• Skill in communicating to achieve desired outcomes and coordinating with interdisciplinary care team staff.
• Ability to use numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting.
• Ability to organize work, set priorities, and delegate tasks and responsibilities to meet deadlines.
• Ability to provide staff development and training.
• Ability to manage staffing requirements and workflow priorities, adjust work to meet team and patient needs, follow up on pending issues, and understand the impact of incomplete work across multiple clinics.
• Detailed experience must be documented on the resume, including job title, duties, start and end month/year, and hours worked per week.
• Must complete required application and pre-employment documentation, background/security investigation, and online onboarding; seasonal influenza vaccination is required for VA Health Care Personnel.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period.
• Must be able to operate a computer terminal and manage multiple activities at one time.
• No experience is required for the basic MSA qualification; the GS-7 lead grade determination separately requires one year of GS-6-equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate MSA assignments and workflow in an interprofessional coordinated care delivery model.
• Assure coverage of all work areas.
• Ensure appointments are scheduled accurately and timely.
• Provide staff guidance, including communicating policy and procedure changes.
• Distribute and balance workload.
• Create and maintain employee work schedules.
• Orient and provide on-the-job training to new and current employees.
• Ensure training requirements are met.
• Organize the work structure of assigned areas.
• Act as a liaison between MSAs and staff to resolve day-to-day conflicts.
• Coordinate with patient care teams to review appointment availability and adjust clinic schedules as needed.
• Maintain effective communication with patients and care providers, including processing incoming patient secure messages and coordinating with care teams as appropriate.
• Participate in team huddles and meetings to plan, problem-solve, and follow up on patient care.
• Set priorities and deadlines and adjust work sequencing to meet team and patient needs.
• Identify incomplete encounters and communicate findings to providers as needed.
• Assist the team in reinforcing plans of care and self-help solutions.
• Enter appropriate information into electronic records and monitor pre-appointment information or requirements.
• Manage patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues.
• Evaluate patient information and clinic schedules to determine whether an immediate appointment is needed.
• Inform team members about shared patients.
• Monitor and make work assignments, provide input on performance, resolve daily workplace issues, and maintain efficient workflow.

Benefits

• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid Federal holidays.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with birth, adoption, or foster-care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to family-income and other eligibility limits; subsidy is up to 25% of eligible childcare costs, with a monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.
• Selected applicants may qualify for annual leave accrual credit based on prior work or military service, subject to request and approval.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED