Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Summary

The incumbent serves as Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) in a VISN Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (RRTP) Centralized Screening Team (CST) as part of an interprofessional healthcare team. AMSA provides support across multiple ancillary and interprofessional clinics and determines the needs of the Veteran/caregiver. The AMSA is responsible for routing clinical questions to appropriate clinical staff. The AMSA plays an integral role in achieving first-contact resolution.

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Duties

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Functions of Assigned Duties:

The AMSA provides specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interprofessional coordinated care delivery model. Work involves specialized administrative judgement and the flexible use of a wide range of clinic flow processes relating to access to care across multiple mental health clinics, specialties, and/or care in the community resources. Works collaboratively with VISN mental health programs, services, and interprofessional coordinated care team members to provide access to care and meet the needs of Veterans via various available contact modalities to include but not limited to telephone calls, secure messages, and chat messages, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the VISN RRTP CST, scheduling appointments, interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA National Scheduling guidelines. 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 interprofessional coordinated care delivery model. AMSAs at this level develop and or maintain effective and efficient communication with the Veteran, interprofessional care delivery teams, VA Medical Centers and other agencies; communicate with non-VA medical facilities.

Other assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: scheduling, canceling, rescheduling Veteran appointments and/or consults; entering no-show information; monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronics sources; gathering and obtaining medical information from patients; processing medication refill request; Reviewing electronic health record, obtaining medical records, faxing, participating in huddles with other VISN RRTP CST staff to determine the daily needs of the team, monitoring outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility; and verifying and updating demographics when contacted by Veterans. Manages patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues; evaluates patient information in the clinic schedule lists to determine whether the patient requires an immediate appointment; Informs interprofessional team members about shared patients, those who receive their care at multiple VA centers or those who receive care in the community. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity, and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

Provides information and resolution to Veterans requests within scope, uses administrative judgment to escalate symptomatic concerns to clinicians within the VISN RRTP CST or directs the contact to the appropriate discipline within the VISN for resolution. Screens incoming contacts and independently routes the contacts to the appropriate area for resolution.

Uses advanced knowledge of healthcare processes as it relates to access of care to ensure Veteran scheduling is efficient, operational and prioritized to maintain Veteran flow and clinic readiness. Utilizes various software, hardware system products, and data portals to transfer and capture information electronically for the support of the daily operation of the unit. Operates within the various contact modalities to receive and respond to incoming and outgoing contacts using computerized interfaces and telecommunications hardware and software.

Provides accurate details of organizational information to Veterans regarding the different services the VA offers. Provides high quality customer service to Veterans and their families/caregivers. Communicates tactfully and effectively to challenging customers who may be threatening, abusive, or distraught. Resolves Veteran complaints as appropriate. Performs duties as assigned to ensure efficient and effective operations.

Performs other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule : Monday through Friday, tour of duty may vary depending upon agency needs

Telework : Available - Ad-hoc

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : FS 10355F

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not required

Requirements

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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.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/02/2026.

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: Advanced Medical Support Assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Policy.

Creditable Experience Knowledge of MSA Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities or an equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as an MSA or an equivalent position in a non-VA hospital or clinic setting.

Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience [or equivalent administrative clinical support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting] at the next lower grade level. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty), and a range of varieties as described in this standard, at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time

Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as an MSA or equivalent administrative patient support in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, an MSA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive one full-time workweek of credit for each two weeks of service.

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).

Grade Determinations : For GS-06 In addition to the basic requirements you must demonstrate that you possess one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade level (GS-05).

You will be rated on the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities based on your application for this position: Please make sure that each is addressed in detail in the body of your resume .

1. 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.
2. Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.
3. 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.
4. Advanced knowledge of the technical healthcare process including, but not limited to, scheduling across interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community models and patient healthcare portals as it relates to access to care.
5. 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.
6. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.

References: VA Handbook 5005, PART II, APPENDIX G45 Medical Support Assistant VA Qualification Standards.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06 . The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-06.

Physical Requirements: This is primarily a sedentary position. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019

Education

There is no education substitution at this grade level.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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