Medical Support Assistant-Diagnostics-ICC Imaging

Veterans Health Administration • Saint Cloud, MN

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Medical Support Assistant (MSA) is assigned to the Imaging Department of the St. Cloud VA Health Care System and reports to the Supervisory Medical Support Assistant. The Imaging Department is part of the Diagnostic Integrated Clinical Community (ICC), which provides outpatient and emergent care and services for Veterans housed on site. The vacancy’s full performance level is GS-5; selection may be made at GS-3 through GS-5.

The MSA provides administrative and patient-support services for Imaging. The position communicates with Veterans, caregivers, clinical staff, other service lines, and community facilities; manages imaging scheduling and check-in; maintains records and demographic information; supports continuity of care and release of information; and handles inquiries through telephone, messaging, email, and other channels. The role requires professional, courteous, accurate, thorough, and confidential service, along with flexibility to manage changing priorities and workloads.

The position is scheduled Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with some rotating Saturdays. Telework is unavailable, and the position is not virtual. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized. A one- or two-year trial period is required. Applicants must be U.S. citizens (subject to the stated exception), proficient in written and spoken English, and meet the education and grade-specific qualification requirements. No prior experience is required for the basic requirements; GS-4 and GS-5 selections require qualifying experience or education and specified knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for cases where recruiting qualified citizens is not possible.
• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or state or territorial education-board proficiency certificate.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• For GS-3, no experience or education beyond the basic requirements is required.
• For GS-4, one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade, or one year of education above high school; candidates must demonstrate the listed knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• For GS-4, ability to interact courteously and helpfully with people from varying backgrounds and healthcare team members; ability to use office automation equipment and software; knowledge of basic medical terminology; and skill in recording patient messages and understanding physician follow-up requests.
• For GS-5, one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade, or two years of education above high school; candidates must demonstrate the listed knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• For GS-5, ability to use computerized programs and systems to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient-identifying information in electronic health records, scheduling systems, or reports.
• For GS-5, advanced medical terminology knowledge sufficient to understand diagnoses and procedures and communicate clinical staff instructions to patients.
• For GS-5, ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting and work independently across a wide range of patient-support duties.
• For GS-5, ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and by telephone with internal and external customers.
• For GS-5, customer-service skill, including identifying customer concerns and referring them to appropriate staff for resolution.
• Must complete the required application steps and online assessment.
• Subject to background and security investigation and required online onboarding.
• Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as a condition of employment.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period.
• Education used to qualify must be from an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education; foreign education requires an acceptable credential evaluation and equivalency documentation.
• Physical requirements are governed by VA Directive and Handbook 5019; a pre-employment examination or evaluation may be required.

Nice To Haves

• Customer-service experience in a healthcare setting.

Responsibilities

• Communicate professionally, respectfully, and helpfully with Veterans, visitors, staff, caregivers, clinical teams, other service lines, and community facilities.
• Protect medical records, Veteran rights, confidentiality, and individuality in accordance with VA policy and HIPAA requirements; use designated shredding containers for protected health information.
• Maintain appropriate boundaries in relationships with Veterans and provide directions and guidance in person and through telephone or messaging.
• Answer and route phone calls appropriately, including managing urgent situations such as suicide-related calls according to VA processes.
• Use the electronic health record and required computer and office software; document accurate and timely information in Veterans’ electronic medical records.
• Update Veteran demographic and insurance information and support accurate recordkeeping and billing information.
• Locate imaging orders and complete Veteran check-in efficiently and accurately.
• Schedule, reschedule, and manage no-show appointments in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines and applicable scheduling workflows.
• Retrieve information from medical records, including prior imaging studies and laboratory results, to support Imaging staff and Veteran care teams.
• Verify scheduled appointments and perform required checks and balances, including reviewing clinical scheduling lists, pending appointments, and orders.
• Monitor pre-appointment requirements and future appointment requests to ensure imaging preparation and scheduling occur within designated timeframes.
• Prepare imaging studies and reports for release to Veterans or outside facilities and maintain accurate records of incoming and outgoing imaging documents.
• Assist Veterans with release-of-information forms and ensure documentation is accurate.
• Contact the appropriate clinician to facilitate timely radiologist communication of critical imaging results.
• Set priorities and coordinate workflow to meet scheduling deadlines and administrative requirements; adapt to schedule changes and fluctuating workloads.
• Work directly with Veterans to schedule imaging appointments and explain exam preparation instructions.
• Receive and respond to inquiries through Secure Messaging, Audio Care, VEText, letters, telephone, email, and other designated channels.
• Assist other team members, resolve conflicts, apply problem-solving skills, and participate in team meetings and workflow-improvement discussions.
• Respond promptly and professionally to emails and messages.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package is available, subject to eligibility based on position type and other applicable conditions.
• Annual leave accrual may be credited for qualifying prior work or military service if requested and approved before appointment; approval is not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

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