Medical Support Assistant - Mental Health

Veterans Health Administration • Fargo, ND

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The incumbent serves as a Medical Support Assistant (MSA) within the Fargo VA Health Care System. The MSA operates in an administrative support role within the Mental Health Service Line. The work includes serving as an initial point of contact for the units, clinics, patients and call centers.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Must complete all required steps in the process, including the application, questionnaire, and an online assessment.
• 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.
• Will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period.
• Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance to 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
• Experience: None.
• OR Education: High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• Licensure/Certification/Registration: None.
• Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials.
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• 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.
• Creditable Experience: To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities or an equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting.
• Part-Time Experience: Part-time experience as an MSA or equivalent administrative patient support in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting is creditable according to its relationship for the full-time workweek.
• Quality of Experience: Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience or equivalent administrative clinical support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting at the next lower grade level.
• For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty), and range of varieties as described in this standard, at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.
• In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements, candidates must possess the required specialized experience and be able to demonstrate all Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) as summarized below.
• Medical Support Assistant, GS-03. (1) Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements.
• Medical Support Assistant, GS-04. (1) Experience or Education. (a) Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.; OR (b) Education. One year of education above high school. (2) Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of basic medical terminology to assist in the provision of care to patients. (b) Skill in recording patient messages and understanding physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care in internal or external clinics. (c) 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. (d) 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.
• Medical Support Assistant, GS-05. (1) Experience or Education. (a) Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade; OR (b) Education. Two years of education above high school. (2) Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients. (b) Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns, and refer to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution. (c) 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. (d) Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting. (e) Ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work. (f) Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone, with internal and external customers.

Responsibilities

• Independently performs the full range of appointment scheduling duties, including scheduling, canceling, and rescheduling appointments; interpreting and verifying provider orders; managing recall reminders; entering no-show information; and monitoring appointment requests across multiple electronic sources.
• Verifies and updates demographic and insurance information during patient check-in and ensures that patient information is accurate and complete.
• Supports patient access by using knowledge of healthcare processes to maintain efficient scheduling practices and clinic readiness, utilizing multiple software systems and data portals to support daily operations.
• Responsible for receiving and responding to secure messages, telephone inquiries, and electronic appointment requests; coordinating administrative functions related to transfers to other VA or community facilities; and determining appointment type based on eligibility requirements.
• Provides high-quality customer service by communicating clearly and tactfully with Veterans and caregivers, including those who may be distressed or frustrated.
• Resolves complaints when appropriate and refers issues outside their scope to the correct staff or discipline.
• Participation in team huddles and interdisciplinary discussions to support daily clinic needs, management of scheduling activities across multiple modalities such as in-person, telephone, and telehealth appointments, and performance of duties across multiple clinic and specialty areas as needed to ensure effective operations.
• Retrieving and sending medical records, managing electronic wait lists, supporting workload capture functions, and performing any other administrative duties assigned to support patient care.

Benefits

• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
• As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
• Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.

What This Job Offers

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