Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Clarification from the agency

Area of Consideration - 1st: Current, Permanent, VA Caribbean Healthcare System San Juan employees including employees of the Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) and Community Based Outpatient Clinics. 2nd: Current, Permanent, VA Nationwide employees and 3rd rest of US Public. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Major duties but are not limited to:

• Reviewing and managing clinic appointment availability and utilization to ensure efficient scheduling and maximum access to care.
• Enter data for each scheduled appointment, including check-ins, service-connected appointments, no-shows, and other required information as per current scheduling procedures and guidelines.
• Coordinating communications among Veterans, interdisciplinary teams, VA medical centers, and external agencies.
• Preparing and issuing correspondence to notify patients of test results or follow-up requirements.
• Developing and maintaining tracking systems for consults, laboratory results, and follow-up care.
• Managing incoming secure messages via My HealtheVet and coordinating responses with the care team.
• Participating in team huddles and meetings to manage and plan patient care activities.
• Identifying incomplete encounters and collaborating with providers to ensure timely documentation.
• Reinforcing plans of care and promoting Veteran engagement in self-care initiatives.
• Monitoring pre-appointment requirements and verifying readiness for patient visits or procedures.
• Evaluating clinic schedule lists to identify Veterans needing immediate appointments or special accommodations.
• Complete daily reports of activity in accordance with local procedures and supervisory instructions in a timely manner. Enrollment, Eligibility and Special Programs Assignments:
• Determining Veteran eligibility and enrollment status using the Veteran Enrollment System (VES) and other administrative tools.
• Coordinating emergency and non-emergency transfers to VA or non-VA facilities and determining appointment type based on eligibility.
• Assisting Veterans in completing documentation for medical benefits and entitlements.
• Reviewing CPRS and administrative records to verify insurance coverage, service connected conditions, and eligibility for specific benefits.
• Handle administrative and financial processes to secure Temporary Lodging and Fisher House Accommodations.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm or 7:30AM-4:00PM
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
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: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 62019F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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/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.
• Experience. None
• Education. High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education
• Certification. None required
• 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
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(

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: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-679-6

GS-06 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-679-5 grade level. Examples of this includes, but is not limited to: independently performing duties related to the delivery of health care services in an inpatient or outpatient setting; advising clinical staff on current administrative processes; interpreting and verifying provider orders; 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; verifying and updating demographics & insurance information when patients check-in for appointments; coordinating administrative functions related to emergency & non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals & determines appointment type based on the patient's eligibility status (i.e., TRICARE, sharing agreements, collaterals, research patient, VA employee, etc.); etc.

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• 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.
• 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.

Preferred Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-5). One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade. This experience may include but is not limited to: Advise clinical staff on current administrative processes. Answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the clinic, and scheduling appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national 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 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. Coordinate 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., sharing agreements, collaterals, research patient, VA employee, etc.).


Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.


Physical Requirements: : The Medical Support Assistant work is mostly sedentary; however, some walking; standing, and carrying light items are required. Light filing, sometimes involving working close to the floor, is involved. Wrist and back protection can be provided to minimize the risks associated with prolonged use of automated data processing equipment.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Area of Consideration-Eligible applicants will be reviewed and referred to in the following order:

1. Facility employees.
2. Current, Permanent, VA Nationwide employees
3. Rest of US Public.

Note: Veterans' Preference is not applicable.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume, required. - Your resume must include the following information for each job listed: Job title, Grade Level (for Federal positions), Duties (be as detailed as possible and ensure they demonstrate how you meet the specialized experience and/or Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required for the position Month & Year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008), Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week).
• If you are current employee and/or highest grade held SF-50 - Notification of Personnel Action (Not an award SF50), required.

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Other (1)
• Professional Certification
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Next steps