Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Advanced Medical Support Assistant

The NY Harbor VA Healthcare system is currently recruiting for one Advanced Medical Support Assistant for the Radiology service at the NY Campus location. The Advanced Medical Support Assistant provides administrative and clerical support to the Radiology & Nuclear Medicine Service. At this level, the Advanced MSA performs a full range of duties. Performs patient scheduling in accordance with VHA Scheduling Directive 1082 and 1230 and other scheduling guidelines from National Radiology Program. The MSA is responsible for scheduling appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. Assignments include, but are not limited to : Greeting patients, scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient's appointments and / or consults. Entering no-show information, capturing insurance information updates, monitoring pending, hold and past scheduled orders. Uploading and downloading studies, compliance with scheduling and cancellation audits. Monitoring the electronic wait list, preparing for clinic visits, monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments for areas of responsibility. Ensuring encounter forms are completed in order to obtain appropriate workload credit.

Work Schedule : Various full-time tours are available and will be discussed at the time of selection. Tours may include evenings, weekends and holidays.

Pay : Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade) for first federal appointment applicants. 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)

Requirements 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. 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. Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification 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).

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 : 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, Education : One year above high school; OR, Experience / Education Combination : Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for the entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable. 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. 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). Creditable Experience : Knowledge of MSA Practices. 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. Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience or equivalent administrative clinical support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting at the next lower grade level.

Grade Determinations : In addition to the basic requirements, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Advanced Medical Support Assistant, GS-6 : Experience : Must have one (1) year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level, performing duties including but not limited to : independently perform a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting. 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. AND; 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. 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 : Radiology and / or Nuclear Medicine

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