Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent employees of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). VISN 9 VHA employees will be given first area of consideration. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

As an Advanced Medical Support Assistant your duties will include but not limited to the following:

• Provide specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an inter-professional coordinated care delivery model.
• Works collaboratively with VISN programs, services, and inter-professional coordinated care team members to provide access to care and meet the needs of Veterans via various available contact modalities to include but not limited to telephone calls, secure messaging, chat, text messaging and video.
• Be responsible for answering telephones, secure messages and chat messages, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the VISN CCC, scheduling appointments, interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines.
• Recommends changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines.
• Will utilizing numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics involved in an inter-professional coordinated care delivery model.
• Develop and/or maintain effective and efficient communication with the patient, inter-professional care delivery teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies; communicate with non-VA medical facilities.
• Scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults; entering no-show information; monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic sources
• Gathering and obtaining medical information from patients; processing medication refill requests; reviewing electronic health record, obtaining obtaining medical records.
• Participating in huddles with other MSAs and/or VISN CCC staff to determine the daily needs of the VISN CCC, monitoring outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility.
• Verifying and updating demographics when contacted by patients.
• 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 inter-professional team members about shared patients.
• Provides information and resolution to Veterans' requests within scope, uses administrative judgement to escalate symptomatic concerns to clinicians within the VISN CCC or directs the contact to the appropriate discipline within the CCC or department for resolution.
• Screens incoming contacts and independently routes the contacts to the appropriate area for resolution.
• Uses advanced knowledge of health care process as it relates to access of care to ensure Veteran appointment scheduling is efficient, operational and prioritized to maintain Veteran flow and clinic readiness.
• Utilizes various software, hardware system products, and data portals to transfer and capture information electronically for the support of the daily operation of the unit.
• Operates within the various contact modalities to receive and respond to incoming and outgoing contacts using computerized interfaces and telecommunications hardware and software.
• Provides accurate details of organizational information to Veterans regarding the different services the VA offers.
• Provides high-quality customer service to Veterans and their families/caregivers.
• Communicates tactfully and effectively to challenging customers who may be threatening, abusive, or distraught.
• Resolves Veteran complaints as appropriate.
• Performs duties as assigned to ensure efficient and effective operations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Varying, Rotating Shifts. WHEN Schedule - Weekends, Holidays, Evenings and Nights.
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Remote Position: This is a fully remote position within the Clinical Contact Center.
Telework: Employee must agree to sign Telework Agreement. Employee must have access to high speed internet (Hard Wire).
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 99708-FS
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
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.
• 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: You must be a citizen of the United States.
• Experience or Education:
  • Experience: Six months experience of clerical, office, customer service or other work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position; OR
  • Education: One year above high school (transcript is required with application); OR
  • Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.(transcript is required with application);

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

GS-6 Advanced Medical Support Assistant:

• Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. GS-5 grade level experience includes, but is 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.).

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

1. Ability to collaborate, communicate, set priorities, and organize the work in order to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations
2. Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively, both orally and in writing, in order to meet program objectives. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational level.
3. Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process as it relates to access to care.
4. Advanced knowledge of managing a clinic. This includes independently utilizing reference sources, decision making, and empowering the team to collaborate and resolve problems within a complex systems environment.
5. Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with operational activities that affect the patient flow, patient care, and the revenue process.
6. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.

Note: You must provide detailed information of your experience performed. Information such as "I was a Medical Support Assistant" is insufficient to determine your qualifications. Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week.

Note: Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to Advanced 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.

Preferred Experience:

Preferred candidates will possess experience in a clinical contact center, call center, healthcare scheduling, or related administrative healthcare setting; strong customer service and communication skills; proficiency with electronic health records and scheduling systems; advanced medical terminology knowledge; the ability to exercise critical thinking and administrative judgment; and a demonstrated commitment to providing Veteran-centered care while working collaboratively within an interdisciplinary healthcare team


Preferred candidates will possess experience in a clinical contact center, call center, healthcare scheduling, or related administrative healthcare setting; strong customer service and communication skills; proficiency with electronic health records and scheduling systems; advanced medical terminology knowledge; the ability to exercise critical thinking and administrative judgment; and a demonstrated commitment to providing Veteran-centered care while working collaboratively within an interdisciplinary healthcare team
- Demonstrated commitment to providing exceptional customer service to Veterans with professionalism, empathy, dignity, and respect
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate with Veterans, caregivers, interdisciplinary care teams, VA medical centers, and community providers.
- Advanced knowledge of medical terminology and the ability to accurately document Veteran interactions in the electronic health record.
- Proven ability to utilize critical thinking and sound administrative judgment to identify Veteran needs and appropriately escalate clinical concerns.
- Experience working in a fast-paced call center, contact center, scheduling, or customer service environment with a focus on first-contact resolution
- Proficiency with electronic health records, scheduling systems, and multiple software applications while maintaining accuracy and productivity
- Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, prioritize workload, and adapt to changing operational needs in a virtual or teleworking environment.
- Strong collaboration skills with interdisciplinary clinical and administrative staff to support coordinated Veteran-centered care.
- Knowledge of VHA scheduling directives, access standards, and Veteran healthcare programs, including community care and eligibility processes
- Demonstrated reliability, accountability, and adherence to VHA policies, procedures, compliance requirements, and performance expectations.

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

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.

Physical Requirements: Typically, the Advanced Medical Support Assistant must be able to operate a computer terminal and be able to manage multiple activities at one time. Work is generally sedentary; however, there may be some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light items. Work Environment: The work may be stressful due to the accelerated pace for several hours at a time during peak clinic hours or on days that have a large volume of clinic activity. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Work Environment: The work may be stressful due to the accelerated pace for several hours at a time during peak clinic hours or on days that have a large volume of clinic activity.

How you will be evaluated

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

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:

• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)

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 (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Next steps