Lead Medical Support Assistant
The Lead MSA serves as the Lead for all MSA staff and is a foundational role within the VHA Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) initiative as well as support for specialty clinic areas. Incumbent is responsible for implementation and monitoring of Hospital Policies and Procedures to meet Hospital Performance Measures. Lead MSA supports and enforces Veterans Administration Directives and Regulations to ensure standardization throughout the Hospital and Community Based Outpatient Clinics.
The Lead MSA monitors and makes work assignments, provides input on performance, resolves daily workplace issues and maintains efficient workflow. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: Assuring coverage of all areas of responsibility; conducting ongoing reviews to ensure quality of work; ensuring accurate and timely scheduling of appointments. Providing guidance to staff members to include changes in policies and procedures; distributing and balancing workload; creating and maintaining employee work schedules. Orienting and providing on-the-job training for new and current employees; ensuring all training requirements are met; organizing the work structure of his/her assigned areas; and acting as liaison between MSA and staff in order to resolve day to day conflicts. Assist with clinic access contingency plans by adjusting appointment times, location, or dates as well as shift patients to other healthcare providers as conflict with staffing and/or coverage occurs. 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. Distributes and balances the workload among employees in accordance with established workflow or job specialization, assures timely accomplishment of the assigned workload and assures that each employee has enough work to keep busy. Directs work of Clinical Support Section employees in the absence of the supervisor. Supports patient safety standards using the correct Veterans Affairs identification of all patients using two forms of identification, name and full Social Security Number. Reports to supervisor regarding employees' performance, progress, training needs and behavior problems. Provides comprehensive training for all users of systems; works with supervisor to analyze and resolve Automated Data Processing (ADP) problems; provides problem trend data and proposes solutions. Assures staff collects, scans, and updates health insurance information serving a major role in the revenue process. Assures front line contact with patients and staff by setting the tone for perception concerning quality of healthcare services at the VA. Conducts patient surveys, interviews, observes workflow, guides patients through hospital system, makes referrals, documents complaints, provides follow-up and suggests resolutions to supervisor. Acts as a Patient Advocate in assisting patients, their families, visitors and staff with any questions or concerns about hospital policies or procedures. Coordinates administrative services for veterans, family members, caregivers, and the public, administrative and clinical staff to ensure continuity of inpatient and outpatient care. Ensure that all necessary health/administrative information are integrated into Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS). Responsible for completion of personnel reports and rosters, timecards, maintenance of supplies and forms. Blocks access to the clinics when providers are scheduled for annual leave and authorized absence. Monitor, manage, and process all orders in a timely and accurate manner. Verify and document that orders are acted on and completed appropriately. Intervenes to resolve difficult problems and diffuses potential dissatisfaction with VA services. Serves as technical advisor and liaison with contacts at all levels. Explain complex regulations and eligibility criteria concerning entitlements and VA benefits, priorities for care, access to care and advanced clinic access. Additional duties or tasks may be assigned by the supervisor to ensure efficient daily operations. 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) Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM Functional Statement #:70226F
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 (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. 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.