Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Summary

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant provides key clerical and administrative support for VA Care in the Community at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center. The role coordinates non-VA care by reviewing eligibility, scheduling appointments, maintaining records, and supporting communication among patients, providers, and administrators to ensure timely access and smooth transitions of care.

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Duties

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Primary Duties

- Perform duties at an advanced level, serving as the administrative subject matter expert within the Community Care team.

- Maintain effective communication with patients, interdisciplinary care teams, community providers, third-party administrators, and other VA facilities.

- Facilitate and process secure messages; notify patients of community care appointments and manage tracking systems for follow-up care.

- Participate in team huddles and meetings to plan and coordinate community care; set priorities and adjust workflow to meet patient and team needs.

- Monitor third-party systems to ensure readiness for procedures; manage electronic wait lists and validate scheduling accuracy.

- Schedule new and established appointments according to VA timeliness standards and clinical guidelines.

- Educate community providers about VA Community Care Program processes, policies, and contingency plans.

- Perform administrative duties using VA databases to extract, organize, and track patient and provider metrics; support quality improvement initiatives.

- Process incoming medical records from non-VA providers and ensure accurate integration into VA medical records.

- Manage appointment coordination, gather and update demographic information, enter data, and assist with resolving administrative concerns.

- Provide customer service in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner while supporting VA mission goals.

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

Compressed/Flexible :Not Available

Telework : Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 40485F

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• 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 examination.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 meeting the basic requirements stated above, the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.

Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-06

• Experience: One year of experience providing administrative support in a medical or clinical setting. This may include scheduling patient appointments, coordinating care with providers, managing medical records, communicating with patients or healthcare teams, handling secure messages, using electronic health record systems, or performing customer service and clerical duties related to patient care.

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

- Ability to collaborate, communicate clearly, set priorities, and organize work to meet deadlines while following established processes, policies, and regulations.

- Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively, both verbally and in writing, to achieve program goals-this includes preparing reports and presenting information at various organizational levels.

- Knowledge of the technical processes related to patient access to care, including scheduling, coordination, and managing patient flow.- Knowledge of clinic operations, including the ability to use reference resources, make independent decisions, and support teamwork in a complex healthcare environment.

- Knowledge of policies and procedures that affect patient flow, patient care, and administrative processes such as scheduling, consult management, and revenue-related activities.

- Knowledge of medical terminology sufficient to understand and interpret clinical documentation and communicate effectively with clinicians.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06.

Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work requires use of fingers; moderate walking and standing; near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in on eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; hearing aid permitted; clear speech; emotional stability; moderate duty.

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).

Preferred Experience:

- One year of medical administrative or scheduling experience that demonstrates skills comparable to work performed at the GS-5 level, such as coordinating patient care, managing appointments, handling medical records, or providing customer service in a clinical setting.

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

This position is above the full performance level of this vacancy.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, although some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light items such as papers, files, or office supplies may be required. The position requires the ability to sit for extended periods, work at a computer, and engage in frequent communication by telephone and in person. Occasional assistance in escorting patients or retrieving records may occur. No special physical demands are required to perform the duties of this position.

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant:

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:

Additional information

Whole Health Statement: The VA Sunshine Healthcare Network (VISN 8) advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model that is based in a partnership across time, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

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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