Medical Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Pittsburgh, PA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Pittsburgh VA Medical Center is seeking a Medical Support Assistant (MSA) in Nursing, Specialty. The MSA performs technical and administrative support duties that facilitate the work of physicians, physician assistants, nurses, nursing assistants, and other medical facility staff who provide direct patient care. The position involves patient communication, appointment scheduling, coordination of referrals, record maintenance, data entry, and other clerical tasks in support of clinical services.

The regular schedule is Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with possible off tours and some weekends and holidays. Additional tour information will be discussed during interviews. Telework is not available; this is not a virtual position. The work is primarily sedentary in an office setting and may involve lifting and carrying light loads such as files and records. The full performance level and grade for the vacancy are GS-5.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or state- or territorial-level proficiency certificate; alternatively, two years of education above high school may qualify in place of the specialized experience requirement.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• For GS-5 qualification through experience: one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade, including experience with patient appointment or consult scheduling, interviewing patients, referrals to specialty clinics, complaint resolution, reviewing and documenting health records, or verifying third-party insurance and updating information.
• Ability to operate computerized programs and systems to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient-identifying information in electronic health records, scheduling systems, or reports.
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology sufficient to understand diagnoses and procedures and communicate clinical staff instructions to patients.
• Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting.
• Ability to work independently while performing a wide variety of patient-support duties.
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and by telephone with internal and external customers.
• Customer-service skills, including identifying customer concerns and referring them to appropriate staff to help ensure satisfactory resolution.
• Must complete the required application steps, including an online assessment, and provide required documents.
• Subject to background and security investigation; selected applicants must complete online onboarding and provide acceptable identification.
• Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as a condition of employment.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.

Responsibilities

• Answer phones, greet patients, and relay messages to appropriate staff inside or outside the unit.
• Schedule routine and specialized appointments for the unit and other units within the health care system, ensuring proper sequencing and following VHA scheduling and consult guidelines.
• Interpret and verify provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling and consult guidelines.
• Perform clerical duties related to patient care and treatment, including admitting and discharging patients, arranging travel, forwarding medication orders and work orders, and maintaining electronic medical charts.
• Perform data entry and notify service administrative staff of supplies needed to perform duties.
• Use medical terminology correctly when completing duties.
• Verify and update patient demographics, including temporary addresses, insurance information, caregiver information, and administrative clinical reminders.
• Communicate effectively, verbally and in writing, with internal and external sources.
• Coordinate patient consultations and referrals to Specialty Services within and outside the facility.
• Receive and relay high volumes of incoming and outgoing communication by telephone, fax, and email concerning medical, personnel, and administrative matters.
• Determine the nature and urgency of inquiries, respond independently when appropriate, or route them to clinical staff in a timely manner.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive salary with regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered based on higher or unique qualifications or VA needs.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, consisting of 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Selected applicants may qualify for annual-leave accrual credit based on prior work or military service, subject to approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment in connection with the 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, eligible childcare costs, and monthly limits.
• 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 may be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

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