Medical Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration•Perry Point, MD

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The Medical Support Assistant, also known as an Inpatient Ward Clerk, provides administrative support to the Health Administration Service and performs a wide range of patient-support and unit operations duties. The position serves across wards under HAS as needed and requires working varied regular and irregular tours, including weekends and holidays. The work is not telework or virtual. Duties are performed independently with supervision and audits to ensure compliance with VA directives, procedures, laws, handbooks, and local policies. The incumbent handles patient communications and administrative coordination, including receiving and directing calls, messages, patients, and visitors; coordinating patient appointments, tests, procedures, therapies, admissions, transfers, and discharges; preparing and maintaining charts and unit records; and entering, verifying, and correcting patient and insurance information in computer systems. The role also involves processing consults, verifying and transcribing physicians’ orders, maintaining ward tracking boards and logs, supporting the Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program, and assisting with data validation. The position requires maintaining confidentiality in accordance with applicable rules and laws, including the Privacy Act, HIPAA, and FOIA. The incumbent also helps maintain ward office equipment and supplies, follows safety and fire-prevention requirements, participates in training and safety activities, and knows the work area’s emergency and disaster procedures.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizen appointments when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or state- or territorial-level proficiency certificate.
Proficiency in written and spoken English.
No experience is required for the basic requirements; grade placement may require qualifying experience or education and grade-specific knowledge, skills, and abilities.
For GS-04, either one year of creditable experience equivalent to GS-03 or one year of education above high school, plus the specified knowledge and abilities in medical terminology, recording patient messages, courteous communication, and use of office automation equipment and software.
For GS-05, either one year of creditable experience equivalent to GS-04 or two years of education above high school, plus the specified knowledge and abilities in medical terminology, customer service, computerized systems and sensitive patient information, appointment scheduling, independent patient-support work, and professional communication.
Must complete all required application steps, including the online assessment, and meet background/security investigation and onboarding requirements.
Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as a VA health care personnel employee.
Must serve a one- or two-year trial period as a condition of employment.
Must comply with applicable confidentiality, safety, fire-prevention, and workplace policies.

Nice To Haves

Ability to multitask.
Knowledge of medical terminology.
Excellent customer service.

Responsibilities

Receive unit telephone calls, record and relay messages, and provide general information about visiting hours, office hours, and staff availability.
Refer questions about a patient’s status or condition and questions requiring medical or triage judgment to nursing staff.
Coordinate with medical clinics to send inpatients for tests, pre-operative procedures, therapies, and scheduled appointments in accordance with discharge instructions or consult management.
Receive, direct, transfer, and discharge patients; receive and direct visitors; answer routine, abrupt, and emergent inquiries; and refer questions concerning patients’ conditions appropriately.
Coordinate with nursing staff, the nursing staff supervisor, and the bed flow coordinator to assign rooms for admissions and transfers.
Build medical charts for new admissions and prepare admission packets.
Ensure required activities are completed before discharge and that follow-up appointments and consults are accurately scheduled.
Respond to technical questions about patient rights, responsibilities, and advance directives.
Perform data entry and collection duties; maintain the Ward Gains and Losses log; and post appointments, therapy times, labs, and procedures on ward boards.
Perform administrative duties for the Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program, including admissions and discharges.
Manage timely and appropriate scheduling and processing of consults.
Complete insurance capture entries in adherence to local and national measures.
Electronically verify doctors’ orders and alert staff about time-critical medications, labs, x-rays, and EKGs.
Transcribe doctors’ handwritten or electronic orders onto appropriate medication, pre-operative, or treatment sheets for nursing staff.
Verify and correct patient information in computer systems, including treating specialties, providers, and movement times, and report discrepancies to the supervisor.
Maintain confidentiality of handled information in accordance with applicable requirements, including the Privacy Act, HIPAA, and FOIA.
Print and post current on-call rosters, emergency lists, and medical/surgical staff listings on ward boards as appropriate.
Ensure ward printers, telephones, fax machines, copiers, document scanners, and shredders are operational and stocked with supplies.
Assist Eligibility and Enrollment management with data validation.
Follow safety and fire-prevention rules, use required protective equipment, report accidents and unsafe conditions, attend training, and participate in safety promotions as directed.
Know fire drill, emergency, and disaster plans for the work area and coordinate section disaster drills.
Work varied regular and irregular tours, including weekends and holidays, and on wards under HAS as required.