The purpose of the position is to serve as an Medical Support Assistant, also known as Inpatient Ward Clerk in Health Administration Service. The incumbent is responsible for a wide range of assignments and provides administrative support to the section.
DUTIES: The incumbent(s) receives telephone calls for the unit, records and relays messages to appropriate staff. Provides general information regarding visiting hours, office hours, and whether unit personnel are on duty. Aware of all units to which these policies apply and can identify with each by cross training and rotating units.
Refers all questions pertaining to a patient's status or condition and all questions requiring medical or triage determination to the nursing staff. Coordinate with the medical clinics to send inpatients for required tests, pre-operative procedures, therapies and scheduled appointments based on the doctor's discharge instructions and/or consult management.
Receives, directs, transfers, and discharges patients; receives and directs visitors; answer routine, abrupt, and emergent inquires and makes appropriate referral of questions concerning patient's condition. Coordinate with nursing staff, nursing staff supervisor and bed flow coordinator to assign rooms for new admissions and transfers. Build a medical chart for each new admission.
Ensure that all required activities have been completed prior to discharging a patient, and that follow-up appointments and/or consults have been accurately scheduled. Prepare admission packets. Respond to technical questions regarding patient rights, responsibilities, and advance directives. Perform a variety of duties in support of data entry and collection for the unit.. Accurately maintains the Ward Gains and Losses log.
Post patient's appointments, therapy times, and required labs and procedures on boards which are maintained at the nurses' station. Performs various administrative duties as it relates to the Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (RRTP) to include admissions and discharges. Manage and ensures timely and appropriate scheduling of consults and processes.
Completes insurance capture entries (ICB) in adherence to local and national measures as third-party collections are a vital aspect of facility revenue. Electronically verifies doctors' orders and alerts staff for time critical medications, labs, x-rays, and EKG's. Manually transcribes doctors' handwritten or electronic orders onto the appropriate medication, pre-op, or treatment sheets for nursing staff.
Verifies and corrects patient information in the computer systems concerning treating specialties, providers and times of movements, and informs supervisor of discrepancies. The incumbent(s) must be conscientious regarding the confidentiality of the variety of material that will be handled.
The position requires a practical knowledge of an extensive body of the organization's rules and regulations governing confidentiality, including but not limited to the Privacy Act, Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) . Prints out and posts the most current on-call rosters, emergency list, and medical/surgical staff listing as appropriate boards on the wards.
Ensure that the ward's printers, telephones, fax machines, copiers, document scanners, and shredders are operational and stocked with supplies. . Duties are performed independently but with supervision and auditing to ensure compliance with VHA directives, procedures, handbooks, laws and locally established policies. Incumbent accomplishes objectives of the Section and uses considerable judgment and initiative in solving problems to ensure efficient operation of their duties.
I Performance is evaluated on the quantitative and qualitative effectiveness of the incumbent's ability to perform given job duties. The incumbent will also assist the Eligibility and Enrollment with management in the completion of data validation. Incumbent is responsible for adherence to all provisions of the Equal Opportunity Program in accordance with OPM and VA regulations and established medical center guidelines.
Complies with all safety/fire prevention rules/regulations, using protective equipment when required and provided. Promptly reports all accidents and notifies supervisor of unsafe/unhealthful conditions in the workplace. Attends scheduled training sessions and participants in facility or service level safety promotions as directed by supervisor. Knows fire drill and emergency plans for work area, including location of all emergency fire equipment.
Understands the facility disaster plan and coordinates section disaster drills. The position requires working both regular and irregular tours of duty, holidays and weekends. Incumbent(s) may also be required to work on any of the wards under HAS. Work Schedule: Varied. Will be discussed at the interview.
Telework: Not avalable.Virtual: This is not a virtual position .Functional Statement #: 26417F VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELoTotal Rewards of a Allied Health Professional
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.
For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Documentation Requirements for Proof of High School Completion or higher: If using post-high school education to substitute for experience at the GS-04 or GS-05, you must submit a copy of your unofficial or official college transcript with your application.
If selected, to meet the basic requirement of high school education or equivalent and prior to a firm job offer being extended, applicants must provide one of the following as verification of the education requirement if not covered under the grandfathering provision: Copy of high school diploma OR high school transcript (unofficial or official) OR GED Certificate OR homeschooling completion OR proficiency certificate issued by a State or Territorial Board or Department of Education OR college transcript (official).
Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs. Grandfathering Provision (continued from Qualifications section).
All MSAs employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, which are a part of the basic requirements of the occupation.
For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees may be reassigned, promoted, or changed to a lower grade within the occupation.
Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
If an employee who was converted to Title 38 hybrid status under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. GRADE REQUIREMENTS: 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. Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as an MSA 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. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. Preferred Experience: Ability to multi-task, Knowledge of medical terminology, Excellent customer service.
Padmini.Elayath@va.gov · 410-691-0612 X40612
This position is with Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.
The posted pay range is $51161 – $66510/yr.
Applications close on 2026-11-09.
There are 2 openings for this position.
This position is open under the 'Public' hiring path.
Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government · Retrieved 2026-10-29 · Not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM or USAJOBS.gov
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