Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Duties to include but not limited to:

• The MSA works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model in PACT specialty care setting or call center where the patient aligned care team model is used and may be required to serve on more than one team.
• The incumbent independently manage position responsibilities with little supervision as well as set priorities and deadlines adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs.
• The Incumbent is the front-line contact with patients and staff the incumbent sets the tone for perception concerning quality of healthcare services at the VA. He/she must determine the nature of requests and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processes. A high degree of tact and diplomacy is required when dealing with veterans who have multiple health problems and who may be frustrated with the administrative process associated with diagnosis and treatment.
• Responsible for the proper and timely treatment of patients and maintains appointment schedules for one or more outpatient clinics. He/she must review the clinic utilization by using various reports (e.g. Clinic Utilization Statistical Summary) and 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.
• The incumbent will notify his/her supervisor when clinic access is outside established performance guidelines or if an individual patient cannot be scheduled within mandated clinic timeframes and/or by the patients desired date. He/she will work with the team to reinforce the plan of care by entering appropriate information into the electronic record (when directed) and through monitoring pre-appointment requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure (e.g. X-ray lab work).
• The incumbent will schedule appointments in accordance with current established V A/VHA Directives Handbooks policies and procedures. The incumbent will daily review active/pending consults Electronic Wait List and Recall List reports for accuracy and disposition. All appointments will be made with the patients input or based on instructions from the clinic provider or other appropriate clinic staff. This may require a high level of coordination to avoid patients having to make multiple trips to the medical center or clinic whenever possible.
• The incumbent is responsible for notifying the provider or other appropriate clinical staff if scheduling instructions are contrary to current established VA/VHA Directives Handbooks policies and procedures.
• Scheduling instruction conflicts that cannot be appropriately resolved within teamlet must be elevated to the MSAs supervisor.
• Supports patient safety standards using the correct Veterans Affairs identification of all patients through the use of two forms of identification name and full Social Security Number.
• Explains the VAs mandate to collect insurance information for veterans their families and other eligible patients.

• 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 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.

• 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.

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.
• Education. High School diploma General Education Development equivalency certificate or proficiency certificate from State or territorial-level Board of Department of Education.
• 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.

• 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.
• 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 organizational levels as well as resolving patient concerns.

• 1 year experience working in a clinical environment coordinating clinic schedules for providers (e.g. medical doctors nurse practitioners physician assistants psychologists/psychiatrists).
• 1 year experience scheduling patients in a medical appointment software in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model
• 1 year experience with medical terminology in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.
• 1 year experience managing patient communications in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model (e.g. telephone and/or email).
• 1 year experience with documenting appropriate information into an electronic medical record.