Clarification from the agency

Open to Current, Permanent Employees of the Milwaukee VA Medical Center (includes CBOCs & VCS). NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Videos

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo

The Advanced MSA is responsible for checking-in/checking-out patients through the Emergency Department. This requires interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national guidelines. Assignments include but are not limited to the following:

• Daily review and management of EDIS program including monitoring of lab and imaging requests, assignment of rooms, and updating of EDIS board upon disposition of ED patients by ED providers.
• Use of EDIS board information to keep track of patients to call them to the ER or Fast Track when it is time for them to be seen/treated by providers. - - Assist with ED 24/7 access to patients by entering bed requests for patients and updating BMS when patients are admitted to the floor.
• Generate patient workload reports that have to do with schedules/scheduling for validation and monitors activity to assure consistent and accurate reporting.
• Tracking emergency medicine metrics in EMMT including provider assignment and provider disposition reports.
• Play an integral role in identifying and developing ways to resolve problems with administrative and clinical staff on access, customer service, patient flow, revenue, and data validation issues.
• Conduct patient/employee interviews, observes workflow, guides patients through hospital system, inputs referrals, documents complaints, provides follow-up, assesses operational risks and suggests resolutions to supervisor.
• Interpret and apply a complex body of pertinent laws, regulations, directives, and policies that relate to the administration of VA Healthcare Benefits.
• Maintain effective communication with patient, interdisciplinary team, and VITA and outside providers.
• Where appropriate, ensure patient has prep material for test(s) and monitor unscheduled appointment requirements to ensure readiness.
• Work with ED providers to coordinate and schedule labs and other tests.
• Work with ED providers to notify patients of normal and abnormal lab results.
• Provide follow-up calls to patients to remind them of their primary care follow-up appointments made in the ED.
• Explain ED administrative procedures to patients and their family members both in person and on the phone.
• Participate in huddles or meeting with ED Annex, Mental Health and other interdisciplinary members to manage and plan patient care/flow.
• Refer patients in the Medical Care Cost Recovery Program so that data can be identified for potential third party health insurance and refers to appropriate site for the scanning of medical insurance cards using ICB.
• Assist in coordination of request for appropriate transportation of patients for medical appointments or for other medical facilities.
• Interpret and communicate requirements of VHA Scheduling Directives and complete accurate scheduling responsibilities. Schedule appointments and utilize the Electronic Waiting List accurately in a timely manner.
• Coordinate administrative services for veterans, family members, caregivers, and general public, administrative and clinical staff to insure continuity of inpatient and outpatient care.
• Get full and complete ED patients check-in input in person. This may require a high level of coordination to avoid patients having to make multiple trips to the medical center or clinic whenever possible.
• Incumbent may be assigned to work day, evening and night shifts to support the 24/7 operation of the ED.

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 trial 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.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
• Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:
CITIZENSHIP: Must be a United States Citizen.
ENGLISH: Must be proficient in basic written and spoken English.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE: Must possess six (6) months experience of clerical, office, customer service or other administrative work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skill necessary to perform the duties of the Medical Support Assistant.
OR
Must have successfully completed one (1) year above high school. This education must have been obtained in an accredited technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED)
OR
Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying for entry level. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED)

IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE, YOU MUST MEET THE GRADE REQUIREMENTS AT THE GS-6 LEVEL TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION.

Grade Determinations:GS-6 level
Must possess one (1) year of experience that is directly related to the duties of an MSA. To be creditable, this experience must be equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-5, and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities. Experience at this level includes assignments such as advising clinical staff on current administrative processes; answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit; scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults in a computerized scheduling system to include interpreting and verifying provider orders; 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; and coordinating administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other facilities.
AND
Demonstrate Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Candidates Must Demonstrate:

1. Ability to collaborate and communicate with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines 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. 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 the patient flow, and patient support care 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.

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.