Medical Support Assistant (Primary Care)

Veterans Health Administration • Caldwell, ID

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The VA Boise Healthcare System is hiring Medical Support Assistants at the GS-3, GS-4, and GS-5 levels for its Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Caldwell, Idaho. Medical Support Assistants provide administrative support to clinical colleagues in the care of Veterans and help promote the timely, accurate, and accessible delivery of healthcare. The announcement’s referral list may be used for up to 90 days.

At GS-3, the entry-level MSA receives more frequent guidance from experienced staff while supporting customers, maintaining medical and administrative records, verifying insurance, obtaining patient information, coordinating patient-care information and services, and scheduling appointments under VHA guidelines. At GS-4, the developmental-level MSA performs similar duties with guidance on more difficult tasks and refers questions requiring immediate medical attention to an appropriate healthcare team member.

At GS-5, the full-performance-level MSA schedules and manages appointments and consults, including interpreting and verifying provider orders. Duties include monitoring wait lists and appointments, preparing for clinic visits, ensuring encounter forms are completed, updating demographic and insurance information, processing transfers, and performing basic eligibility, copayment, and preauthorization checks. The position is scheduled Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework is not available, and the position is not virtual. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• High school diploma, GED equivalency, or qualifying state or territorial proficiency certificate, unless covered by the stated grandfathering provision.
• GS-3: No experience or education beyond the basic requirements.
• GS-4: One year of creditable experience equivalent to GS-3, or one year of education above high school.
• GS-4: Ability to communicate and interact courteously with people from varied backgrounds and healthcare team members.
• GS-4: Ability to use and navigate office automation equipment and software, including computer systems, web-based scheduling programs, insurance collection systems, scanning software, multiple-line phones, and electronic fax programs.
• GS-4: Knowledge of basic medical terminology.
• GS-4: Skill in recording patient messages and understanding physician requests regarding follow-up care.
• GS-5: One year of experience equivalent to GS-4, or two years of education above high school.
• GS-5: Ability to operate computerized systems to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient-identifying information in electronic health records, scheduling systems, and reports.
• GS-5: Advanced knowledge of basic medical terminology sufficient to understand diagnoses and procedures and communicate clinical staff instructions to patients.
• GS-5: Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting and work independently on a wide variety of patient-support duties.
• GS-5: Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and by telephone with internal and external customers.
• GS-5: Customer-service skill, including identifying customer concerns and referring them to appropriate staff for resolution.
• Complete the application and questionnaire, required application steps, and online assessment.
• Meet background and security investigation requirements and complete the required online onboarding process.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as required for VA healthcare personnel.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.
• Provide documentation verifying the high school education requirement before a firm job offer; submit a college transcript if using post-high-school education to substitute for experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support to clinical colleagues in the care of Veterans.
• Interact with internal and external customers in a courteous and helpful manner.
• Establish and maintain medical outpatient and inpatient charts and administrative records.
• Verify third-party insurance and update information in the Insurance Capture Buffer system.
• Obtain medical information from patients and coordinate information and actions related to patient care and services.
• Schedule appointments in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines.
• Refer questions requiring immediate medical attention to an appropriate healthcare team member.
• At GS-5, schedule, cancel, and reschedule patient appointments and consults, including interpreting and verifying provider orders.
• Enter no-show information and monitor the electronic wait list.
• Prepare for clinic visits and monitor inpatient and outpatient appointments for assigned areas.
• Ensure encounter forms are completed to obtain appropriate workload credit.
• Verify and update demographic and insurance information.
• Process emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals.
• Perform basic eligibility, copayment, and preauthorization requirements for specific coverage.
• Enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient-identifying information in electronic health records, scheduling systems, and reports.
• Record patient messages and understand physician requests about follow-up medical care.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; specific benefits depend on position type and eligibility.
• Selected applicants may qualify to receive credit for prior work or military service toward annual leave accrual, subject to request and approval.

What This Job Offers

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