Clarification from the agency

VETERANS PREFERENCE IS WAIVED FOR THIS OCCUPATIONAL SERIES IAW Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) BULLETIN "FY24 Staffing Shortage Determinations" dated: 10/3/2023. Open only to current permanent Orlando VA Medical Center employees. Please provide a copy of your most current SF50 Notification of Personnel Action to be considered for this position.

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The Supervisory Medical Support Assistant (MSA) will be responsible for the direct supervision of the Advanced Lead Medical Support Assistant (GS-0679-06) and Lead Medical Support Assistants (GS-0679-07) at the Orlando VA Medical Center(Main Campus) and the CBOCs. The Supervisory Medical Support Assistant duties consist of but are not limited to the following:

• Support and enforce Veterans Administration Directives and Regulations to ensure standardization throughout the Hospital and CBOCs.
• Responsible for extracting and analyzing data to provide reports in support of performance measures to senior management with the Health Administration Service.
• Assist and support the clinical staff to ensure veterans and families medical and support needs are met.
• Develop detailed procedures and guidelines to supplement established administrative regulations and/or program guidelines.
• Administrative activities including advancing teams, training, preparing workload, and operational reports, scheduling staff, managing resources, trouble shooting, and extensive coordination between clinical and administrative services,
• Assure various aspects of compliance, reporting, quality assurance and budgetary initiatives are met.
• Efficiently and effectively manage the patient intake and appointment management process, support the revenue cycle, as well as administratively support the clinic staff in the patient care process.
• Facilitate a safe working environment for employees.
• Complete appropriate paperwork associated with Workman's Compensation.
• Develop performance standards and provide employees feedback through performance evaluations and competency reviews.
• Receive and listen to complaints and grievances from patients or their representatives.
• Approves/disapproves/certifies annual and sick leave requests and arranges vacation schedule for area of responsibility.
• Assures staff collects, scans and updates health insurance information, serving a major role in the revenue process.
• Clinic scheduling, consults, insurance card scanning, and pre-registration guidelines.

Work Schedule: M-F-Various Tours
Compressed/Flexible: Not Available
Functional Statement #: 82428F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

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. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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. Six months experience of clerical, office or other work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position; or One year above high school; or Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.
• English Language Proficiency. Medical Support Assistant's must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.

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).

Assignment: Supervisory Medical Support Assistant at this level plan and direct programs at medical centers and/or satellite outpatient clinics and have full supervisory responsibility for supervising at least one subordinate team leader or supervisor. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: assigning and evaluating the work of subordinate staff; resolving complex problems to ensure patient services are met; evaluating new products, equipment, and systems in order to make recommendations for improved operations; identifying educational or training needs; making final decisions on selections; evaluating performance, and taking disciplinary action when necessary. The employee has full administrative and professional responsibility for planning and directing the Medical Support Assistant's (MSA's) activities. Responsible for extracting and analyzing data in order to provide reports in support of performance measures to senior management.

To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities or an equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as [an] MSA or an equivalent position in a non-VA hospital or clinic setting.Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA's experience or equivalent administrative clinical support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting at the next lower grade level. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty), and a range of varieties as described in this standard, at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

Part-Time Experience. Experience as an Medical Support Assistant or equivalent administrative patient support in] a [non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting] is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, an MSA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive one full-time workweek of credit for each two weeks of service.

Grade Determinations: In addition to meeting the basic requirements for employment listed above, the following experience criteria must be met for the Supervisory Medical Support Assistant, GS-679-08.

Specialized Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level leading or supervising MSAs or equivalent administrative patient support staff in a non-VA medical inpatient, outpatient, or interdisciplinary setting. Supervisory Medical Support Assistant's at this level plan and direct programs at medical centers and/or satellite outpatient clinics. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: evaluating the work of subordinate staff; resolving complex problems to ensure patient services are met; evaluating new products, equipment, and systems to make recommendations for improved operations; identifying educational or training needs; making final decisions on hiring selections; evaluating performance, and taking disciplinary action when necessary, extracting and analyzing data to provide reports. The employee has administrative and professional responsibility for planning and directing the subordinate lead, supervisor, and MSA's activities.

Candidates must demonstrate the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) below:

1. Ability to provide the full range of administrative and supervisory duties [to at least one subordinate MSA supervisor or team leader in a patient support setting which includes assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, and recommendation of awards and/or advancements.
2. Ability to collaborate, communicate, and demonstrate customer service and interpersonal skills with internal and external customers to ensure quality/continuity of care and ensure compliance with established policies and regulations.
3. Ability to provide briefings, orientations, staff development, and training in a patient support setting.
4. Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and identify budget needs.
5. Advanced knowledge of managing or leading patient support staff in a clinic. This includes independently utilizing reference sources, decision making, and empowering the team to collaborate and resolve problems within a complex systems environment.

Preferred Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-07).
Working collaboratively in interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery; developing and maintaining effective and efficient communication with patients, interdisciplinary teams, VA facilities, and other agencies; adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet patient and team needs; provide briefings, orientations, staff development and training; evaluate and oversee people and programs to accomplish program goals and adapt to changing priorities; experience with and knowledge of processes involving patient admission, transfers, eligibility, and appointment scheduling; experience with developing systematic process change and analyzing the effectiveness of initiatives; and experience in multi-tasking.

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-679-08

Physical Requirements: Position is sedentary in nature, may be required to lift/carry 15-25 lbs. on minimal basis. The work is performed in an office setting. The work will involve extensive use of computer/keyboard. Other physical demands include reaching, bending, stretching, walking and carrying light loads of supplies and/or files.

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.

Your resume must include all of the following information:

• Job Title (include series and grade if Federal Job)
• Duties (be specific in describing your duties)
• Employer's name and address
• Start and end dates including month, and year (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
• Start and end dates for each grade/pay level if you've held a federal position.
• Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)

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.