Clarification from the agency

All US Citizens may apply to this job opportunity. Qualified applicants will be referred in the following order: FIRST - Current, permanent employees of the St. Cloud VA Healthcare System. SECOND - Current, permanent Veterans Health Administration employees. THIRD: All other applicants.

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• Provides daily administrative inpatient operations; to include admissions, transfers, and discharges in accordance with established procedures. Processes all emergency and non emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals, including interfacility transfers.
• Maintains a smooth and efficient flow and quality of work to ensure timely accomplishment of the assigned workload.
• Establishes priority of work assignments and will adjust based on the activities of the unit and the service.
• Provides administrative support to the Charge Nurse, Associate Nurse Manager, Nurse Manager, and all other specialty staff assigned to support the day-to-day operation of all inpatient units.
• Follows through the patient treatment plan through administrative coordination and record keeping.
• Participates in team huddles and team meetings to manage and plan patient care; setting priorities and deadlines, adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient's needs.
• Use computer systems such as VISTA, CPRS, Outlook, Word, Excel, OneNote, Bio-Point as well as other computer programs used by the MSA's.
• Ability to work independently, setting priorities, and coordinate work.
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with persons of all educational backgrounds.
• Acts as a receptionist for the unit, processing incoming and outgoing telephone calls, recording messages from Veterans, family members, in-house clinics, community clinics, transportation etc. Directs telephone calls and visitors and communicates information appropriately.
• Processes physicians' orders by identifying priority of STAT and routine orders and takes appropriate action by notifying personnel or services responsible.
• Promptly and accurately initiates and checks on status of referrals, lab, and imaging procedures.
• Makes numerous calls each day to coordinate information and actions relating to patient care and services. Relays information and requests from the patients and /or clinical services to the treatment team.
• Compiles a consolidated computerized appointment sheet which shows tests, procedures, clinic appointments, therapies etc, for all patients on the unit for each day of the week.
• Uses and updates the Bed Management System to accurately identify inpatients and assigned bed status.
• Files, maintains, and secures medical records as appropriate.
• Pre-Registers patients including: verifying and updating demographics and insurance information.
• Initiates and ensures completion of work orders for the unit, including messages in VISTA for furniture or key requests for the floor.
• Assists in training new or less experienced employees.

Medical Support Assistant: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-MSA-VA-Career-Flyer.pdf

Work Schedule: Administrative Days
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Ad Hoc only
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 00000
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

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.
• 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.
• Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
• English Language Proficiency. MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English.

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:

Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-6

• Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:
  1. 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.
  2. Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.

References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G45

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6.

Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.