Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

The AMSA develops and/or maintains effective and efficient communication with the patient interdisciplinary team VA medical centers and community providers (e.g. communicate with community medical facilities; release appropriate medical information to community providers collaborate with the patient and VA Care team; notify patients of approved care; develop and manage a tracking system for follow up care such as consults tests etc.).

Other assignments at this level include but are not limited to:

• Participating in team huddles and team meetings to manage and plan patient care
• Setting priorities and deadlines
• Monitoring pre-appointment requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure (e.g. X-ray lab work)
• Participating and providing input in problem solving on operational issues or procedures in team meetings performing administrative follow up actions
• Participating in and independently following up individual case load
• Authorizing care in the community with fiscal responsibility as a driving force
• Obtaining results (in the form of requested records) and alerting provider.

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 drivers 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.

• 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.

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 Part II Chapter 3 Section A paragraph 3.g.)

Experience and Education.
(1) 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
(2) Education. One year above high school; OR
(3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.

Certification. None required.
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.
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.

Grade Determinations

GS-06 Advanced Medical Support Assistant
Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 (full-performance MSA) grade level

Examples of qualifying experience: Independently performs a full range of MSA duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes. Answers phones greets patients relays messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit schedules appointments including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines.

AND

Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities.
Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:
i. 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.
ii. Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines ensuring compliance with established processes policies and regulations.
iii. 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 organizational levels as well as resolving patient concerns.
iv. 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.
v. 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.
vi. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.

Preferred Qualifications: Experienced with Microsoft Office handling multiple computer applications to perform duties and possesses strong customer service skills.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-6.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary however there may be some walking standing bending and transporting items under 20 pounds. Works extensively in the hospital computer system.