Medical Support Assistant (Ward Administration) - Day and Night Shift

Veterans Health Administration • Kansas City, MO

12h • Onsite

About The Position

The Medical Support Assistant (MSA) serves on inpatient wards at the Kansas City VA Medical Center within Business Office Service and supports clinics throughout the Kansas City VA Healthcare network. The position is supervised by the Ward Administration Supervisor and performs technical administrative work involving processing doctors’ orders, maintaining medical records, and coordinating patient movements during hospital stays, including discharges and transfers to other facilities.

The role includes advising clinical staff on administrative processes; handling phone and patient-facing communications; scheduling and managing appointments and consults; monitoring appointment requests; participating in clinic huddles; verifying and updating patient demographic and insurance information; coordinating emergency and non-emergency transfers; and determining appointment types according to patient eligibility. This is a full-time position with various tours and shifts available. Days off are set by the supervisor and discussed at interview. Telework is not available, and the position is not virtual. The full performance level and grade for this vacancy are GS-5.

Applicants must meet federal employment conditions, including U.S. citizenship, written and spoken English proficiency, background/security investigation, and completion of onboarding and application requirements. Employees are required to participate in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program and serve a one- or two-year trial period. Basic qualifications include a high school diploma or equivalent; qualifying experience may be paid or unpaid administrative patient-support experience in a medical inpatient or outpatient setting. For GS-5, candidates need either one year of qualifying experience equivalent to the next lower grade or two years of education above high school, along with the specified knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or state/territorial proficiency certificate; alternatively, applicable VHA grandfathering provisions may apply.
• For GS-5 placement, one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade or two years of education above high school.
• Qualifying experience must use knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with current MSA responsibilities or equivalent administrative patient support in a non-VA inpatient or outpatient medical setting.
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology sufficient to understand diagnoses and procedures and communicate clinical staff instructions to patients.
• Customer-service skill, including identifying customer concerns and referring them to appropriate staff for resolution.
• Ability to operate computerized programs and systems to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient-identifying information in electronic health records, scheduling systems, and/or reports.
• 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/or by telephone with internal and external customers.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Satisfactory completion of required application steps, online assessment, onboarding, and background/security investigation.
• Participation in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Service of a one- or two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment after the trial period.

Responsibilities

• Advise clinical staff on current administrative processes.
• Answer phones, greet patients, and relay messages to appropriate staff inside or outside the unit.
• Schedule, cancel, and reschedule patient appointments and/or consults, and enter no-show information.
• Monitor appointment requests from multiple electronic sources.
• Participate in huddles with other Medical Support Assistants and/or clinic staff to determine the clinic’s daily needs.
• Verify and update patient demographic and insurance information at appointment check-in.
• Coordinate administrative functions for emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals.
• Determine appointment type based on patient eligibility status.
• Process doctors’ orders and maintain medical records.
• Coordinate patient movements throughout the hospital stay, including discharge and transfer to other facilities.

Benefits

• Federal employees receive a comprehensive benefits package; eligibility depends on position type.
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior federal work or military service, if requested and approved before appointment.

What This Job Offers

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