Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Duties may include but are not limited to:

• The Outpatient assigned Advanced Medical Support Assistants coordinates with the patient care team to review the clinic utilization by using various reports (e.g. Clinic Utilization Statistical Summary) ensure that the clinic setup is closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinic and make any necessary adjustments.
• They develop/maintain effective and efficient communication with the patient interdisciplinary team VA medical centers and other agencies (e.g. assist with communications during the inpatient to outpatient discharge; communicate with non-VA medical facilities; facilitate/process secure messaging with the patient and team; notify patients of normal lab results; develop and manage a tracking system for follow up care such as consults tests etc.).
• 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 adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs; may work with the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions and entering appropriate information into the electronic record; monitoring pre-appointment requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure (e.g. X-ray lab work); managing electronic wait list to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues; 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 on team huddles by sharing information and collaborating with the medical team to assure continuity of care; evaluating patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether patient is vested; educating providers about shared patients (those who receive their care at multiple VAs or those who have care in the community) and bringing to the attention of the provider.
• Inpatient and Eligibility and Enrollment Advanced Medical Support Assistants is responsible for coordinating patient care by interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. Evaluating clinics and providers schedules to schedule Veterans accurately and within the requested timeframe upon discharge from inpatient care.
• Providing support maintaining effective and efficient communication to the interdisciplinary teams nursing staff patients family members VA medical centers and other agencies. (e.g. assisting with communications during the inpatient to outpatient discharge; facilitate/process secure messaging with the outpatient clinics to ensure timely and appropriate scheduling of Veterans for follow up care in different PACT clinics and other specialty clinics throughout the VHA etc.).

• 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.
• Physical Examination: May be required depending on the needs of the organization.
• 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.

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:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Experience: None.
• Education: High school diploma General Education Development equivalency certificate or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• Licensure/Certification/Registration: None.
• Grandfathering Provision: 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).
• Foreign Education: To be creditable education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials.
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).

1. Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade GS-05.
2. Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate ALL of the following KSAs in your resume:
   • 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.