Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

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

• The Advanced MSA provides specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. Work involves specialized administrative judgment and the flexible use of a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics specialties and/or care in the community resources. Recommends changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines. Expertise in utilizing numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics involved in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. Coordinates with the patient care team to review clinic appointment availability (utilization) to ensure that clinic schedules are closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinics and makes adjustments as necessary. MSAs at this level develop and/or maintain effective and efficient communication with the patient interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model teams VA medical centers and other agencies (e.g. assist with communications during the inpatient to outpatient discharge; communicate with non-VA medical facilities; prepare correspondence to notify patients of normal lab results; manages a system for follow-up care such as consults tests etc.)
• Other assignments at this level include but are not limited to: processes incoming patient secure messaging through MyHealthyVet and coordinates with care team as appropriate; participates in team huddles and team meetings to manage plan problem solve and follow up with patient care by sharing information and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team; setting priorities and deadlines adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs; identifies incomplete encounters and communicates findings to providers; as needed; enters appropriate information into the electronic record; monitors pre- appointment information and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure; manages patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues; evaluates patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether the patient requires an immediate appointment; informs team members about shared patients (i.e. those who receive their care at multiple VA centers or those who receive care in the community).
• Answers questions such as those dealing with the patients eligibility for services availability of appointments procedures for obtaining an appointment requests for appointments and/or appointment changes. Schedules cancels reschedules follow-up and/or consult appointments. Processes emergency and non- emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals. Monitors request scan and updates patient insurance information via insurance buffer software (ICB-NTX-live) and or the Pre-registration program. Verifies updates and confirms current demographic information and use of Integrated Scheduling System (ISS) and/or Veterans Health Information and Technology Architecture (Vista) software packages- preregistration menu when patients check-in for their scheduled or unscheduled appointment. Advanced Medical Support Assistant (MSA) performs pre-registration via telephone during pre- appointment and pre-registration calls by proper identification of patients by requesting identifiers such as date of birth next of kin and full social security number. Resolves informal complaints and responds to request for non-technical information on such subjects as status of reports/laboratory work suspense dates hours of operation how to complete various medical forms etc. Ensure encounters are properly addressed and closed within their scope to obtain appropriate workload credit. Reviews Integrated Scheduling System (ISS) open request appointments or consults for closure. Completes clinic closeout- no actions taken and incomplete check-ins during daily reviews. Monitors and schedules appointments from clinical consult request within the guidelines of VHA Scheduling Directive.

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Certification: None required.

• 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.

• 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.
• 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.

• Previous Clinical Experience
• Previous Experience Scheduling: Appointments Cancellations Labs XRay
• Previous experience providing customer service and resolving informal complaints
• Previous experience verifying and updating insurance
• Previous experience working in a team environment
• Previous experience working independtly