Medical Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Omaha, NE

5h • Onsite

About The Position

The Medical Support Assistant (MSA) in Outpatient Scheduling Services serves as an initial point of contact for units, clinics, and patients. The role supports patient care through appointment scheduling, tracking and reviewing electronic orders and consults, and responding to them in organizational medical systems. It requires practical knowledge of computerized data entry, information-processing systems, and software related to patient care.

The position performs customer-service, receptionist, scheduling, and administrative duties. The MSA greets and checks in patients, assists with mobile check-in, gathers medical information as needed, routes patients and calls to appropriate care-team members, updates demographic and insurance information, and helps resolve customer concerns. The role also supports clinic preparation, consult and order processing, appointment monitoring, documentation, reports, and supplies.

This is a permanent, full-time position scheduled for 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework and virtual work are not available. The full-performance level is GS-5. The position requires U.S. citizenship (with a limited statutory exception), spoken and written English proficiency, and completion of applicable background, onboarding, and other employment requirements. A two-year trial period applies.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, except where appointment of a non-citizen is permitted under the stated statutory provision.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• For the basic qualification requirement: no experience is required if qualifying through the experience route; alternatively, a high school diploma, GED, or qualifying proficiency certificate is required through the education route.
• For GS-4: one year of creditable experience equivalent to GS-3, or one year of education above high school, plus the specified knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• For GS-4, knowledge of basic medical terminology; skill in recording patient messages and understanding physician requests regarding follow-up care; courteous communication and interaction with people from varied backgrounds and health-care team members; and ability to navigate office automation equipment and software used for patient care.
• For GS-5: one year of experience equivalent to GS-4, or two years of education above high school, plus the specified knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• For GS-5, advanced medical terminology sufficient to understand diagnoses and procedures and communicate clinical staff instructions to patients; customer-service skill and ability to identify concerns and refer them appropriately; ability to operate computerized systems to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient-identifying information; ability to schedule medical appointments; ability to work independently across varied patient-support duties; and professional communication in person, electronically, and by telephone.
• Meet applicable background and security investigation requirements, complete online onboarding, and provide acceptable identification and required application documents.
• Participate in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Serve a two-year trial period, during which continued employment is evaluated.
• Submit qualifying education transcripts and other required education verification when applicable.
• Meet applicable physical requirements described in VA Directive and Handbook 5019; details may be addressed during pre-employment evaluation.

Responsibilities

• Greet and check in patients and assist with mobile check-in when needed.
• Gather medical information as needed and refer patients to appropriate members of the health-care team.
• Identify customer concerns, resolve issues accurately and promptly, and follow up to support satisfactory resolution.
• Report backlogs, difficulties meeting deadlines, and uncooperative physicians; document complaints.
• Perform receptionist duties, monitor copying and faxing, and answer and route incoming phone calls.
• Validate and update patient demographics and verify insurance information in ICB.
• Follow the current VA Scheduling Directive and Minimum Scheduling Efforts.
• Check recall reminder lists to avoid delinquencies.
• Prepare for clinics, including printing appointment and clinic lists, and ensure encounter forms are completed.
• Ensure return-to-clinic orders are completed daily and routinely review active and pending consults.
• Interpret, verify, and disposition provider orders.
• Complete reports, record meeting minutes, and scribe with a co-signer.
• Monitor appointments for the area of responsibility and process transfers to other facilities.
• Monitor Audio care and perform basic eligibility requirements.
• Maintain warehouse supplies and clinic forms.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered for higher or unique qualifications or VA special needs.
• 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.
• Possible credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, associated with birth, adoption, or foster-care placement.
• Potential childcare subsidy after 60 days for eligible full-time employees with total family income below $144,000, up to 25% of eligible childcare costs and a monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and a federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term-care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

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