Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: include but are not limited to:

• Schedule cancel and reschedule appointments/or consults for the Veterans Affair and Department of Defense.
• Provide medical documents in preparation for appointments for patients and staff.
• Coordinate with administrative services such as active duty members veterans family members and caregivers for clinical support.
• Assist with registration within the VA for new/transfer patients as well as My Healthy Vet.
• Providing administrative support to assigned clinical area in participation of team huddles/meetings to manage and plan patient care setting priorities to meet the required needs of the patient needs.
• Incumbent will help provide care in person and over the phone to patients and family members in regards to procedures and care while also resolving problems.
• Use of different types of computerized programs and databases in order to enter modify and retrieve sensitive information and data such as electronic medical records scheduling systems VISTA CHCS CPRS AHLTA and Microsoft Office.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm
Compressed/Flexible:Not available
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 07361F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• To be considered for this position you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical 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 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.

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• Experience and Education -(1) Experience - no experience OR (2) Education - High school diploma General Education Development equivalency certificate or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• 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.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

GRADE REQUIREMENTS:
GS-6 Advanced Medical Support Assistant

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Must have at least one (1) full year of experience that is directly related to the duties of a MSA and that equips you with the particular knowledge skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position. To be creditable this experience must be equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-5 and demonstrate the knowledge skills and abilities associated with current MSA responsibilities. Experience at this level includes but is not limited to: Advising clinical staff on current administrative processes. Answering phones greeting patients relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit scheduling canceling re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. Entering no-show information; monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic sources; participating in huddles with other MSAs and/or clinic staff to determine the daily needs of the clinic monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility; verifying and updating demographics and insurance information when patients check-in for appointments. Coordinates administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals and determines appointment type based on the patients eligibility status (i.e. TRICARE sharing agreements collaterals research patient VA employee etc.).

AND

In addition candidates must demonstrate the following Knowledge Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to collaborate and communicate with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines 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. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels as well as resolving patient concerns.
• 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 the patient flow and patient support care 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.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. Typically the employee sits comfortably to do the work. However there may be some walking standing bending; carrying of light items such as papers books small parts; or driving an automobile etc. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.