Medical Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Aspinwall, PA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The H. John Heinz III VA Medical Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is seeking a Medical Support Assistant (MSA) for the Chief of Staff Service Line. The MSA performs technical and clerical 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 is at the GS-5 level and works in an office setting, with work that is primarily sedentary.

The MSA supports patient care through appointment scheduling and coordination, patient communications, records and data management, and administrative tasks. The role requires use of medical terminology, electronic health records, scheduling systems, and effective communication with patients, clinical staff, and external sources.

The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; additional tour information will be discussed during interviews. Telework is not available, and the position is not virtual. The position offers federal employee benefits, including paid time off, paid parental leave eligibility, possible childcare subsidy eligibility, federal retirement benefits, and federal insurance programs.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception under VA policy for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or state- or territorial-level proficiency certificate.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• For GS-5 qualification, either one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade or two years of education above high school.
• Qualifying experience, if used, includes scheduling, canceling, or rescheduling patient appointments or consults; interviewing patients for appointments; referring patients to medical specialty clinics; providing information to resolve patient complaints; reviewing and documenting outpatient and inpatient medical 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 medical terminology knowledge 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 achieve satisfactory resolution.
• Must complete required application steps, including an online assessment.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must register with Selective Service.
• Subject to background and security investigation; selected applicants must complete online onboarding and provide acceptable identification for pre-employment requirements.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA health care personnel.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, with continued employment subject to written certification that it advances the public interest.
• If using post-high-school education to substitute for experience, submit a college transcript with the application; education used to qualify must be from an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Work may require lifting and carrying light loads, such as files and records.

Responsibilities

• Answer phones and greet patients.
• Relay messages to appropriate staff inside or outside the unit.
• Schedule routine and specialized appointments for the unit and other units, ensuring proper sequencing; interpret and verify provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling and consult guidelines.
• Perform patient-care clerical duties, 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.
• Apply 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 telephone, fax, and email communications from patients, staff, and outside sources about 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 and regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered based on higher or unique qualifications or VA special needs.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, comprising 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service experience, 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 the stated family-income, cost, child-eligibility, and monthly-maximum limits.
• Traditional federal pension, with five-year vesting, and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• 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