Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

The incumbent is assigned to the Patient Administration Section of the Business Office at the Columbia VA Healthcare System at the following locations: Columbia, Greenville, Sumter, Orangeburg, Spartanburg, Rock Hill, Anderson, and Florence County. Patient Administration is responsible for the administrative support of clinical services to include Primary Care and various Specialty Clinics located in the Community Based Outpatient Clinics. Basic Requirements :

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: Medical Support Assistant (MSAs) must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.j.
• Experience and Education:
  • (1) Experience. Six months experience of clerical, office, [customer service], or other [administrative] work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position; OR,
  • (2) Education. One year above high school; OR,
  • (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations : In addition to the basic requirements for employment listed the following [education and experience] criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:

Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-06.

Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level and have the 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, advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients, the ability to [schedule medical] appointments in a clinical setting, the ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties [performing patient support work], ability to communicate effectively and professionally [in person, electronically, and/or by telephone], with [internal and external customers] and skilled in customer service with the ability] to identify [customer] concerns, [and refer] to the [appropriate staff], as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:

• Ability to collaborate [and] communicate [with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines (e.g. medical doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, clinical pharmacists, and nursing staff) to accomplish team goal setting to ensure medical care to patients is met.]
• Ability to independently set priorities and organize [ ] work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.
• Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively, [electronically, by phone, in person], and in writing, [with internal and external customers]. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels, [as well as resolving patient concerns].
• Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process [(including, but not limited to, scheduling across interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community models and patient health care portals)] as it relates to access to care.
• Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community operational activities that affect patient flow, and patient support care [administrative functions] to include, but not limited to appointment cycles, outside patient referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, provider availability, etc.
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.

Preferred Experience: None.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit .

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-06.

Physical Requirements: This work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing, bending, reaching, crouching, stooping, stretching, and lifting moderately heavy items such as manuals, record boxes, equipment or assisting patients.

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: . If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: .