Medical Support Assistant
Baltimore, MD
$40.7k - $68.9k/year
Full-time
Onsite
1 month ago
About the role
Summary
The purpose of the position is to serve as an Medical Support Assistant - also known as Inpatient Ward Clerk in Health Administration Service. The incumbent is responsible for a wide range of assignments and provides administrative support to the Section. The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information - refer to Required Documents below.
Qualifications
Basic Requirements:
Duties
The purpose of the position is to serve as an Medical Support Assistant - also known as Inpatient Ward Clerk in Health Administration Service. The incumbent is responsible for a wide range of assignments and provides administrative support to the Section. The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information - refer to Required Documents below.
Qualifications
Basic Requirements:
- Citizenship
- Citizen of the United States
- (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Chapter 3 - Section A - paragraph 3.g.)
- Experience and Education
- Experience
- No experience required Education
- High School Diploma - General Education Development equivalency certificate - or proficiency from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education
- (SEE ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT INFORMATION UNDER EDUCATION SECTON) Licensure/Certification/Registration
- None English Language Proficiency
- MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Chapter 3 - Section A - paragraph 3.j Grandfathering Provision
- See under Education section
- Foreign Education
- See details under Education section
- Grade Determinations: Medical Support Assistant - GS-03
- Experience or Education
- None beyond the basic requirements
- Assignment
- Employees at this grade level serve in a MSA entry-level developmental position
- This is an entry level MSA position
- It is expected that MSAs at this level will receive guidance from more experienced staff members and require frequent and direct supervision
- At this level - MSAs apply general rules and policies relating to clinic functions - staff - and automated data processing methods in support of treatment to patients
- They utilize a variety of patient data systems in scheduling patients for treatment and annotate patient records
- They perform front desk duties - receive telephone call - and visitors to the MSA unit
- They make and cancel appointments - review patient records for necessary information - and review patient demographics and insurance verification
- They consult with clinic staff when processing physician scheduling and administrative orders
- Medical Support Assistant - GS-04
- Experience
- One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
- OR Education
- One year of education above high school
- Assignment
- This is a developmental level MSA position
- It is expected that MSAs at this level will receive minor and less frequent guidance from higher experienced staff members for more difficult tasks
- Assignments at this level include - but are not limited to: scheduling and rescheduling patients for treatment
- interviewing patients for appointments
- referring patients to other medical specialty clinics
- providing information to patients necessary to resolve VA Handbook complaints
- interacting with both internal and external customers
- reviewing and documenting medical outpatient and inpatient electronic health records - as well as administrative 7 records
- verifying third party insurance and updating information in the Insurance Capture Buffer (ICB) system
- obtaining medical information from patients
- coordinating information and actions related to patient care and services
- and scheduling appointments in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines
- MSAs at this level refer all questions regarding medical attention to the appropriate health care team member
- Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs)
- In addition to the experience or education above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of basic medical terminology to assist in the provision of care to patients
- (b) Skill in recording patient messages and understanding physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care in internal or external clinics
- (c) Ability to meet - communicate - and interact with individuals from varying backgrounds and other health care team members in a courteous and helpful manner in order to facilitate medical care for patients
- (d) Ability to use - and navigate between - various types of office automation equipment and software (i.e. - computer systems - web based scheduling programs
- insurance collection system
- scanning software - multiple line phone systems
- electronic faxing programs) to support patient care
- Medical Support Assistant - GS-5 Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade
- One (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-4)
- Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: scheduling and rescheduling patients for treatment
- interviewing patients for appointments
- referring patients to other medical specialty clinics
- providing information to patients necessary to resolve complaints
- interacting with both internal and external customers
- reviewing and documenting medical outpatient and inpatient [electronic health records] - as well as administrative records
- verifying third party insurance and updating information
- obtaining medical information from patients
- coordinating information and actions related to patient care and services
- OR Education
- Two years of education above high school
- Assignment
- This is the full performance level for MSAs
- At this level - the MSA independently performs a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting
- Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes
- The MSA is responsible for [answering phones - greeting patients - relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit] - scheduling appointments - including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines
- Assignments at this level include - but are not limited to: scheduling - canceling - re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults
- entering no-show information
- monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic [sources
- participating in huddles with other MSAs and/or clinic staff to determine the daily needs of the clinic] - monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments [in] areas of responsibility
- verifying and updating demographics and insurance information when patients check-in for appointments
- Coordinates administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals and determines appointment type based on the patient's eligibility status (i.e. - TRICARE - sharing agreements - collaterals - research patient - VA employee - etc.)
- Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
- Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: i
- Ability to operate computerized programs and systems in order to enter - modify - and retrieve sensitive [medical and patient identifying] information (PII) into or from electronic health records - scheduling systems - and/or reports
- ii
- Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients
- iii
- Ability to schedule medica appointments in a clinical setting
- iv
- Ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work
- v
- Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person - electronically - and/or by telephone - with internal and external customers
- vi
- Skill in customer service with the ability to identify [customer concerns - and refer to the appropriate staff - as necessary - to ensure a satisfactory resolution
- Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
- The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-5. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-3 to GS-5.
Duties
- DUTIES: The incumbent(s) receives telephone calls for the unit - records and relays messages to appropriate staff
- Provides general information regarding visiting hours - office hours - and whether unit personnel are on duty
- Aware of all units to which these policies apply and can identify with each by cross training and rotating units
- Refers all questions pertaining to a patient's status or condition and all questions requiring medical or triage determination to the nursing staff
- Coordinate with the medical clinics to send inpatients for required tests - pre-operative procedures - therapies and scheduled appointments based on the doctor's discharge instructions and/or consult management
- Receives - directs - transfers - and discharges patients
- receives and directs visitors
- answer routine - abrupt - and emergent inquires and makes appropriate referral of questions concerning patient's condition
- Coordinate with nursing staff - nursing staff supervisor and bed flow coordinator to assign rooms for new admissions and transfers
- Build a medical chart for each new admission
- Ensure that all required activities have been completed prior to discharging a patient - and that follow-up appointments and/or consults have been accurately scheduled
- Prepare admission packets
- Respond to technical questions regarding patient rights - responsibilities - and advance directives
- Perform a variety of duties in support of data entry and collection for the unit.
- Accurately maintains the Ward Gains and Losses log
- Post patient's appointments - therapy times - and required labs and procedures on boards which are maintained at the nurses' station
- Performs various administrative duties as it relates to the Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (RRTP) to include admissions and discharges
- Manage and ensures timely and appropriate scheduling of consults and processes
- Completes insurance capture entries (ICB) in adherence to local and national measures as third-party collections are a vital aspect of facility revenue
- Electronically verifies doctors' orders and alerts staff for time critical medications - labs - x-rays - and EKG's
- Manually transcribes doctors' handwritten or electronic orders onto the appropriate medication - pre-op - or treatment sheets for nursing staff
- Verifies and corrects patient information in the computer systems concerning treating specialties - providers and times of movements - and informs supervisor of discrepancies
- The incumbent(s) must be conscientious regarding the confidentiality of the variety of material that will be handled
- The position requires a practical knowledge of an extensive body of the organization's rules and regulations governing confidentiality - including but not limited to the Privacy Act - Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA - the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
- Prints out and posts the most current on-call rosters - emergency list - and medical/surgical staff listing as appropriate boards on the wards
- Ensure that the ward's printers - telephones - fax machines - copiers - document scanners - and shredders are operational and stocked with supplies
- Duties are performed independently but with supervision and auditing to ensure compliance with VHA directives - procedures - handbooks - laws and locally established policies
- Incumbent accomplishes objectives of the Section and uses considerable judgment and initiative in solving problems to ensure efficient operation of their duties
- I Performance is evaluated on the quantitative and qualitative effectiveness of the incumbent's ability to perform given job duties
- The incumbent will also assist the Eligibility and Enrollment with management in the completion of data validation
- Incumbent is responsible for adherence to all provisions of the Equal Opportunity Program in accordance with OPM and VA regulations and established medical center guidelines
- Complies with all safety/fire prevention rules/regulations - using protective equipment when required and provided
- Promptly reports all accidents and notifies supervisor of unsafe/unhealthful conditions in the workplace
- Attends scheduled training sessions and participants in facility or service level safety promotions as directed by supervisor
- Knows fire drill and emergency plans for work area - including location of all emergency fire equipment
- Understands the facility disaster plan and coordinates section disaster drills
- The position requires working both regular and irregular tours of duty - holidays and weekends
- Incumbent(s) may also be required to work on any of the wards under HAS
- Work Schedule: Varied
- Will be discussed at the interview
- Telework: Not avalable
- Virtual: This is not a virtual position
- Functional Statement #: 260112F - 260111F - 26417F VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional
Skills
Government AdministrationHealth Care Provider