Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Summary

The Battle Creek VA Medical Center is recruiting for an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) to function in Specialty Service, Physical Rehabilitation the Battle Creek VA Medical Center. This position provides clerical administrative support in the coordination, care, and treatment provided to patients throughout the Medical Center.

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Duties

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VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant:

Summary of Duties - Advanced Medical Support Assistant

• Provides administrative, clerical, and scheduling support for Rehabilitation clinics at Battle Creek VAMC or Wyoming CBOC.
• Manages patient flow and clinic operations using advanced knowledge of VA policies, procedures, and scheduling directives.
• Triages all incoming telephone calls, greets and assists visitors, and ensures timely communication of messages.
• Schedules appointments within required timeframes based on provider instructions, Veteran preferences, and VHA scheduling guidelines.
• Reviews active and pending consults daily using designated VA tools and screens consults for Service Agreement compliance.
• Adjusts clinic schedules to maximize capacity, manage cancellations, and ensure appropriate use of appointment slots.
• Communicates effectively with Veterans, providers, Rehabilitation Team members, and PACT/PCP staff regarding appointments and consults.
• Processes secure messages, documents communication in the patient record, and assists with Virtual Care (CVT/VVC) scheduling.
• Participates in huddles and interdisciplinary meetings to coordinate and plan patient care and clinic flow.
• Performs administrative tasks such as scanning, filing, referral entry, monitoring workflows, and documenting complaints or issues.
• Guides patients through the hospital system and provides follow-up on concerns, offering suggested resolutions to supervisors.
• Manages Outlook calendars and computer clinics, ensuring high-priority meetings and trainings are appropriately scheduled.
• Provides coverage for administrative support colleagues within Rehabilitation Battle Creek and CBOCs as assigned.
• Coordinates follow-up visits for Veterans needing to pick up equipment and communicates with Prosthetics regarding equipment needs.
• Handles travel pay awareness, insurance card scanning, MyHealtheVet/Secure Messaging processes, and text-based appointment notifications.
• Answers phones and takes accurate messages to avoid disruption to clinical staff and patient care.
• Cleans and disinfects equipment and spaces within the rehabilitation clinic.
• Greets and assists Veterans entering the clinic area.
• Demonstrates knowledge of VA computer systems and Microsoft Windows/Office applications; proficient in typing and Excel.
• Analyzes and interprets data to create clear summaries, reports, and recommendations.
• Demonstrates clear written and oral communication skills, reliability, and accountability.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Work Schedule : Monday - Friday, 7:00AM - 3:30PM
• Telework : Not Available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
• Functional Statement # : 93538-A
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized
• 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.
• 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 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.

Basic Requirements :

A. 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)

B. Experience. None.

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

D. Licensure/Certification/Registration. None.

E. Grandfathering Provision. Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and registration/certification where applicable. For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment-specific requirements in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:

(1) 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.

(2) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

NOTE: This provision is not intended to regularize appointments/ placements.

F. Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials.

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

H. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Grade Determinations : In addition to the basic requirements for employment listed above, the following experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:

Advanced Medical Support Assistant, GS-6

Experience - One (1) full year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. This experience may include but is not limited to; independently performs a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes. The AMSA is responsible for 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 VHA national scheduling guidelines. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: 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 in areas of responsibility; verifying and updating demographics and insurance information when patients check-in for appointments. Coordinates administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals and determines appointment type based on the patient's eligibility status (i.e., TRICARE, sharing agreements, collaterals, research patient, VA employee, etc.).

Note: This experience must be clearly demonstrated in your resume.

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

1. 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.
2. Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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. .

Physical Requirements: The work of this position is primarily sedentary in an office setting, primarily while seated working closely with others or alone. There may be some walking, standing, bending, kneeling, carrying of light items under 15 pounds, reaching above shoulder, driving an automobile, etc. The work environment typically involves everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of a medical office and/or meeting or training room. The Advanced MSA is required to sit for long periods of time at a computer terminal typing data while having face to face contact with Veterans and answering the telephone. In addition, there can be increased stress due to the intensity of a patient/customer complaint or concern. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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

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.

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.

VA Healthcare System Serving Ohio, Indiana and Michigan (VISN 10) 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 with three core elements, 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."

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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