Lead Medical Support Assistant

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.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Medical Support Assistant (MSA) at this grade level is a Lead MSA. The Lead Medical Support Assistant (MSA) works independently and is considered the chief source of patient information and plays an important role in accomplishing the administrative work within the outpatient clinics by the duties listed below: Scheduling appointments in accordance with VHA Directive 1230 and VHA Directive 1232 (2); including canceling, re-scheduling, and no showing patient appointments and/or consults. Verify and update patient demographics to include capturing of insurance data via ICB Web. Ensure clinic assigned staff are taking appropriate patient actions within ISS (Integrated Scheduling Solutions) (scheduling, check-in, check-out, and no-shows) and in CPRS (clearing/reviewing alerts and signing off on notes entered) daily. Ensuring patient encounters are completed for clinics assigned by the end of each business day (no-shows and patient cancellations through AudioCare, VeText, ISS, CTM etc.). Ensuring that consults greater than 90 days have proper documentation for additional scheduling attempts or dispositioning directed by the provider. Responsible for tracking and management of Consults and Return to Clinic orders for clinics assigned. Responsible for providing feedback to providers when additional information for scheduling is required. Extracting medical information from electronic records when requested by Providers, Social Workers, Nurses, and Supervisors for patient education purposes only while maintaining HIPPA standards. Ensure clinic assigned staff is appropriately monitoring and maintaining the delinquent recall, insurance capture buffer exception list and proper use of Vet Link for clinics assigned. Receiving and directing patients and visitors, in person and by telephone (ACD), answering routine inquiries, and making appropriate referral of questions concerning patients' care. Coordinate patient transportation and/or travel concerns with the Veterans Transportation Service and Bene-Travel staff. Under the direction of the immediate supervisor, monitor and make daily work assignments, resolve daily workplace issues, and maintain efficient workflow in the clinics assigned. Complete daily rounds to ensure adequate administrative support coverage in all areas distributing and balancing workload in clinic areas assigned. Ensures accurate daily posting of employee's time assigned to specific T&L unit. Complete timely clinic modifications which include but not limited to cancellations, adding additional slots, inactivation's, once approved by the Supervisory Medical Administrative Specialist (Site Manager). Provides information of medical center policies and procedures. Ensures patient safety standards are meet by subordinate staff using the correct Veterans Affairs identification of all patients using two forms of identification. Collaborate, communicate, and demonstrate customer service and interpersonal skills with all professionals to ensure quality/continuity of care and ensure compliance with established policies and regulations. Orients and provides on-the-job training for new and current employees as required. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm. Work Schedule is subject to change based on agency need. Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized. 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). 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: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 61766F. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/examination. 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.