MEDICAL SUPPORT ASSISTANT (ADVANCED)

Summary

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) serves as a Medical Support for the service and has the ability to fully perform the duties/functions related to all aspects of the full performance Advanced Medical Support Assistant, GS-0679-06 position in Charleston especially scheduling in a large clinical service line.

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Duties

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The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) position provides medical administrative support to the Referral Coordination Team (RCT), coordinating and working collaboratively with the facility, community care program, the Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT) and Specialty Care clinicians, and other staff within the VA and outside the VA. The RCT AMSA is responsible for interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines to schedule, cancel, re-schedule patent's appointments and/or consults while ensuring accessible care to meet patient needs. The incumbent responsible for coordinating information and actions related to patient care services on the phone, including, but not limited to the following:

• Performs assigned duties in a manner that promotes quality health care, outstanding customer service, and the maintenance of an environment committed to serving the veteran. Reports any backlogs and any difficulties in meeting deadlines.
• Knowledge of patient eligibility for VA medical care, priorities for care, release of information, and HIPPA laws.
• Ensures maximum utilization of clinic appointment by filling open appointment slots as cancellations occur.
• The AMSA must use various software, hardware system products, and data portals used to transfer, and capture information electronically used in the support of the daily operation of the clinic. This includes and is not limited to VistA, HSRM, CPRS (including CTB), VSE, VSSC Reports, Scheduling Manager, My HealthE Vet/Secure Messaging, and Microsoft applications to accurately enter or extract information.
• He/she must have knowledge of commonly used medical terminology, abbreviation, and VA acronyms and their meaning.
• Capture Veteran's community care appointment scheduling preferences using the Consult Toolbox (CTB) unless the Veteran decides to self-schedule.
• Conduct admin triage on consults/referrals when appropriate using the admin Triage Tool to identify level of care coordination.
• Contact the patient and discuss options for internal/direct VA care vs. Community Care (when eligible) when the Clinical RCT determines it is appropriate, based on clinical complexity requested. Documents the discussion in the electronic medical record.
• Must provide excellent customer service and must adhere to VA local, National and Service policies and procedures.

Work Schedule : 8:00am-4:30pm

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases

Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)

Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66 .

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA

Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Telework : Ad-hoc only

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 58838F

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.
• 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, driver's 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 evaluation.
• 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 interest. In 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.

Qualifications

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 : Applicants appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English.
• Experience : Some experience of clerical, office, customer service, or other administrative work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position; OR
• Education : High school diploma with desire for some post graduate education. If selected, applicant must provide proof of level of education claimed.

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 Determinations : Must possess one (1) full year (52 weeks) of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-05).

Preferred Experience: VA scheduling experience and customer service experience.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

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: The work of the positions is primarily sedentary; however, some walking, standing, bending stooping and carrying of small items such as files may be required.

Education

If selected, to meet the basic requirement of high school education or equivalent and prior to a firm job offer being extended, applicants must provide one of the following as verification of the education requirement if not covered under the grandfathering provision:

• Copy of high school diploma OR high school transcript (unofficial or official) OR
• GED Certificate OR homeschooling completion OR
• Proficiency certificate issued by a State or Territorial Board or Department of Education OR
• College transcript (official)

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit:

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit for 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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

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.

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.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.