Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Summary The Advanced Medical Support Assistant provides comprehensive administrative support within the Northeast CBOC, ensuring efficient patient access, accurate scheduling, maintenance of demographic and insurance data, and management of the Electronic Wait List. The position coordinates daily workflow with PACT/BHIP teams, processes MyHealtheVet and phone messages, supports clinic operations through high-volume scheduling, and assists with release-of-information and Home Health requests. Responsibilities VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) works collaboratively within the PACT/BHIP interdisciplinary care model to provide comprehensive administrative support that ensures timely and accurate patient care delivery. The incumbent manages complex scheduling functions for one or more outpatient clinics, adjusts appointments in accordance with clinic access contingency plans, and coordinates care when staffing or coverage changes occur. The AMSA receives and screens phone calls courteously, determines the nature of requests, and provides appropriate information using privacy guidelines and established clinic processes. The AMSA independently prioritizes workload, adjusts work sequencing to meet team needs, and participates in daily huddles and weekly team meetings when coverage permits. The incumbent notifies the supervisor of clinic access issues and ensures timely scheduling within mandated timeframes. Daily responsibilities include reviewing consults, the Electronic Wait List, recall lists, and patient communications for accuracy and disposition, as well as using the Missed Opportunity Report to conduct patient outreach. The AMSA coordinates administrative services to support continuity of care, distributes post-discharge notifications, and ensures that records received are processed and scanned into CPRS. The AMSA may distribute and balance workload among staff, direct work in the supervisor's absence, and assume PSA or MSA duties as needed during special projects, workload surges, vacancies, or staff detail assignments. Additional responsibilities include maintaining personnel reports and rosters, managing supplies, conducting audits and surveys, and supporting compliance with Advanced Clinic Access principles. The incumbent generates and validates patient workload reports, implements quality assurance monitors, prepares administrative documents, and gathers workflow and survey data to support process improvement. The AMSA accurately schedules appointments in collaboration with patients, manages the EWL, and coordinates care to limit unnecessary clinic visits. The incumbent may assist with Beneficiary Travel vouchers and Health Benefits Unit processes, and perform additional duties assigned to support efficient clinic operations. The AMSA resolves difficult problems, mitigates potential dissatisfaction with VA services, and serves as a technical resource for complex eligibility and scheduling regulations. The role requires the ability to lead and organize staff across multiple clinical areas, manage high volumes of calls and requests, and work effectively in a busy environment. Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am - 4:45 pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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). Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. 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: This position may be authorized for Ad-hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. This is an onsite position. Telework may be offered when deemed necessary by the department AD-HOC, (Employees who telework on an occasional, episodic, or short-term basis, and have completed required telework training and telework agreement). (Portion of day acceptable). Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 56452-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements 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. Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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 To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/24/2026. Basic Requirements: Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). 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. Licensure/Certification/Registration. None Physical Requirements. Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation and would generally not require a pre-placement examination. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, candidates must meet the following grade determining criteria for placement at grade level specified (GS- 06). Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS- 05). 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 My Healthy Vet 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 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. Preferred Experience: 1. Minimum of one year experience using VA-specific systems or scheduling platforms. 2. Previous customer service experience in a healthcare or office setting. 3. At least one year working with electronic medical records (EMR), computers, and telephone systems. 4. Experience with multi-tasking and prioritizing tasks in a fast-paced environment. 5. Familiarity with HIPAA and confidentiality requirement. 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 is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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: NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. There is no education substitution at this grade level. Education may still be used to meet the basic requirements for this position. 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.