Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Summary The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) is responsible for a range of clerical and administrative duties that demonstrate the advanced level of the MSA. The San Francisco VA Health Care System uses a practice group concept that combines managed care and primary care treatment models. This position is located at the VA Clinic South Santa Rosa - California Ambulatory Care Service. Qualifications Advanced Medical Support Assistant - GS-6 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. Candidates must demonstrate advanced knowledge of health care processes, policies, and medical terminology and possess the following KSAs: (a) Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process, including scheduling across interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery, community care models, and patient health care portals as it relates to access to care. (b) Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery, community care operational activities affecting patient flow, and patient support care administrative functions, including appointment cycles, outside patient referrals, follow‑up care, overbooking, and provider availability. (c) Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language used by clinicians. (d) Ability to collaborate and communicate with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines to accomplish team goal setting and ensure medical care for patients is met. (e) Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations. (f) Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively electronically, by phone, in person, and in writing with internal and external customers—including preparing reports and presenting data at various organizational levels and resolving patient concerns. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard – please visit The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. Physical Requirements: No special physical qualifications are required. Duties The AMSA must be able to multi‑task, working rapidly and independently with a high degree of accuracy. Dependable, use good judgment and effectively analyze all situations to ensure the veteran receives the highest quality of care. Good written and oral communication skills are essential. Scheduling—cancelling, and re‑scheduling patient appointments by managing appointment requests, including Return‑to‑Clinic Orders, Recall Reminders, Veteran's Appointment Requests, Consults, and patient‑initiated requests per VHA directives and business rules. Consult Management: coordinate the scheduling/rescheduling of consults or forwarding of consults to community care using the various scheduling systems and tools. Contact the veteran to discuss VA and community care options, gather the veteran's scheduling preferences, and document all mandatory consult scheduling elements per VHA Directive 1232. Track consult progress from file entry date to scheduled date or cancellation. Document all patient‑related correspondences and outreach for scheduling in the electronic medical record. Check‑in/check‑out procedures for patient visits and ensure demographics are validated and up to date. Capture non‑VA health insurance using Insurance Capture Buffer software. Log into phone system application to answer incoming calls per standard operating procedures and customer service policy. Manage incoming and outgoing digital and physical faxes. Distribute, receive, sort, and deliver incoming/outgoing mail or other documents to appropriate individuals. Respond to incoming correspondences—including VA emails, instant messages, voicemails, and secure messaging—within the timeliness parameters outlined by the department. Manage lobby operations: monitor reception queue, maintain cleanliness, restock flyers and brochures, and address veterans waiting longer than 15 minutes. Appropriately complete initial paperwork for same‑day walk‑in triage patients, notifying nursing staff and alerting clinical staff of urgent/emergent issues. Collaborate with SFVAHCS staff to ensure patient concerns are addressed. Process view alerts per VHA policy timelines. Complete no‑show reconciliation at the end of each clinic period, including rescheduling per VHA policy. Review upcoming pending appointments to ensure appropriate patient contact. Other related duties may be assigned. Work schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00 am–4:30 pm. Permanent change of station (relocation assistance): Not authorized. Compensation: Competitive salary with regular increases; higher step rate may be considered. Paid time off: 37–50 days annual, including 13–26 days annual leave, 13 days sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military experience. Parental leave: After 12 months of employment – up to 12 weeks paid parental leave in connection with birth, adoption, or foster care placement. Child care subsidy: After 60 days of employment, eligible full‑time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may receive a subsidy up to 25% of eligible childcare costs, capped monthly at $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401(k) with up to 5% VA contribution. Insurance: Federal health, vision, dental, term life, long‑term care, and other federal insurance programs; many of these programs can be carried into retirement. Telework: Not available; this is not a virtual position. Functional Statement # 09517F; permanent change of station (PCS): Not authorized. #J-18808-Ljbffr