Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Summary

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) is organizationally aligned within the Care in the Community (CITC) Section of the Health Care and Business Operations (HCBO) at the VA Maryland Health Care System (VAMHCS). The incumbent(s) will serve as the Medical Support Assistant(s) for the CITC department of Health Care and Business Operations.

The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents.

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Duties

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DUTIES:

• The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA)is able to independently manage position responsibilities with minimal supervision, as well as set priorities and deadlines, adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs.
• The AMSA functions as an expert authority for all tasks associated with Community Care. As an expert, the MSA provides technical support to professional staff and other medical center employees, advising staff on appropriate administrative procedures to follow.
• The AMSA works collaboratively with staff at the Medical Center, contract Vendors, Medical Center affiliates and community health care providers to coordinate veteran Non-VA Care activities. Incumbent must assist with coordination of records between medical center and NVCC providers and return of outside records to the CPRS/VISTA imaging system to process results to VA provider. Incumbent maintains effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary team, contract providers and community providers.
• The AMSA supports patient safety standards using the correct Veteran Affairs identification of all patients using two forms of identification, name and full Social security Number.
• The AMSA explains the VA's mandate to collect insurance information to veterans, their families and other eligible patients. He/she collects, scans and updates health insurance information serving a major role in the revenue process.
• The incumbent contributes to the revenue collection process by identifying patients with third party insurance.
• The AMSA sets the tone for perception concerning quality of healthcare services at the VA. A high degree of tact and diplomacy is required when dealing with veterans who have multiple health problems.
• The AMSA must be able to interpret and communicate requirements of VHA Scheduling Directives and complete accurate scheduling responsibilities and assist in training other MSA levels as follows:
  • A. Schedule appointments with Non-VA Care providers and monitor the Electronic Waiting List accurately in a timely manner as well as the Veteran's Choice List. All appointments will be made with the patients' input, either in person or by phone.
  • B. Notifies his/her supervisor when clinic access is less than desirable or if an individual patient cannot be scheduled within mandated clinic timeframes.
  • C. Daily review of active/pending consults, Electronic Wait List (EWL), Veteran Choice List (VCL) and previous appointments for disposition. The Advanced MSA for the Care in the Community (CITC) team fully participates in team meetings where patient care planning and management occur in addition to VANTS and Live meetings with contract vendors for coordination of Contracted Non-VA Care.

The Care in the Community (CITC) Team also manages the flow of information between VA, Contract vendor and Non-VA providers under the Veteran Access Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 (VACAA) in addition to the following:

• A. Retrieves the Veteran Choice Program list and scrubs for eligibility requirements.
• B. Uploads identified clinical documentation to the Third-Party Administrator (TPA) communication portal to initiate outside care.
• C. Mail out the Veterans Choice Program qualification letters and appointment reminder notifications to Veterans.
• D. Communicate daily with the Third-Party Administrator in regards to the Veteran's scheduling, eligibility and follow up.
• E. Retrieves clinical documentation in regard to the Veteran's episode of care form and scans it as a part of the Veterans permanent record in CPRS.
• F. Works in a collaborated effort with the RN's and administrators to facilitate a seamless process.

• The AMSA will utilize an extremely complex blend of proprietary software, medical information, communication skills and problem solving in a rapidly changing environment. When records are received the incumbent will ensure that all necessary health/administrative information is integrated into the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) through scanning hardware and Vista imaging software.
• Position requires assisting with access contingency plans by adjusting appointment times, location or dates as wells as shift patients to other healthcare facilities.
• The AMSA will also perform the scanning duties and may be asked to train other MSA levels on the process.
• The AMSA must screen/receive phone calls in a courteous and timely manner, determine the nature of requests and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processes.
• Additional duties or tasks may be assigned by the supervisor to ensure efficient daily operations.

Work Schedule : Monday - Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm

Telework : ADHOC ONLY

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 260324-F

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant:

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• 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, 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.
• 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

Basic Requirements .

Citizenship . Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.g.). Experience and Education .

Experience . No experience required.

Education . High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.

• Documentation Requirements for Proof of High School Completion or higher:
  • If using post-high school education to substitute for experience at the GS-04 or GS-05, you must submit a copy of your unofficial or official college transcript with your application.
  • 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)

Certification . None required.

Grandfathering Provision . See Under Education Section.

Foreign Education. See under Education Section.

Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

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.

GRADE REQUIREMENTS: see under Education Section

Grade Determinations :

Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-6

Experience . One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level in an inpatient or outpatient clinical setting. Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes, answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit, scheduling appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with scheduling guidelines, scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults; entering no-show information; monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic sources, participating in huddles with other MSAs and/or clinic staff to determine the daily needs of the clinic, monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments, verifying and updating demographics and insurance information.

Assignment . 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; manage 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; assists the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions; 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).

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:

i. 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.

ii. Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.

iii. 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.

iv. 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.

v. 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.

vi. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-6.

Preferred Experience: Knowledge of office equipment, Outlook email, Outlook teams

Education

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:

Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs.

GRADE REQUIREMENTS: (continued form Qualifications Section)

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.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

Grandfathering Provision .

All MSAs employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, which are a part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:

• 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.

Additional information

"Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their life to the fullest. The VA is committed to Whole Health and values Veteran and Employee health and wellbeing. As a VA employee, you will practice Whole Health in an environment that supports personalized and proactive care."

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.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

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.

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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