Supervisory Medical Support Assistant

Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. This job announcement is only open to current, permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees.

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

Duties:

• Serves as a Supervisory Medical Support Assistant in various areas within the Health Administration Department
• Manage the performance of at least one subordinate MSA team leader, supervisor, or equivalent administrative patient support staff.
• Evaluate the work of subordinate staff, providing feedback, coaching, and corrective action as needed.
• Develop performance standards and evaluate staff performance regularly.
• Make final decisions on hiring, promotion, disciplinary actions, and resolving staff complaints.
• Plan and prioritize work assignments, supervise technical and administrative functions, and provide leadership in resolving complex administrative problems.
• Maintain staff schedules, ensure adequate staffing levels for clinic operations, and adjust workload distribution to meet clinic needs.
• Oversee the scheduling program for the medical center and satellite clinics, ensuring compliance with VA policies and guidelines.
• Ensure the accurate and timely scheduling of patient appointments, monitor clinic availability, and make necessary adjustments to maximize patient access to care.
• Evaluate new products, equipment, and systems to make recommendations for improving clinic operations and enhancing efficiency.
• Provide ongoing training and mentorship to staff, ensuring they have the necessary skills and knowledge to perform their duties effectively.
• Lead training sessions on administrative processes, scheduling policies, and patient management systems, and track training compliance for all staff.
• Collaborate with other supervisors and department heads to ensure staff development is aligned with the organization's goals and priorities.
• Extract and analyze data to track key performance measures, including scheduling efficiency, patient access, and clinic utilization.
• Monitor key scheduling metrics, such as return-to-clinic orders (RTC), consults, and urgent scheduling needs, ensuring that all patient care requirements are met.
• Implement corrective actions based on data analysis to address discrepancies and improve operational efficiency.
• Meet the needs of customers (veterans, representatives, visitors, and VA staff) while supporting VA missions.
• Communicate courteously, tactfully, and respectfully with veterans, representatives, visitors, and staff.
• Provide veteran-centered care by emotionally supporting patients and their families and respecting their values and preferences.
• Respond to patient inquiries concerning medical, personal, and administrative matters, referring medical questions to clinical staff.
• Resolve complex patient service issues, ensuring that patients receive the care they need promptly and efficiently.
• Act as a liaison between MSAs, patients, and interdisciplinary teams to resolve conflicts, address administrative issues, and improve patient flow. Collaborate with clinical staff to ensure follow-up care is properly scheduled and completed, addressing any gaps or delays in the process.
• Ensure the smooth operation of clinic functions by overseeing the coordination of clinical flow processes related to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and community resources.
• Ensure compliance with policies for the security of sensitive data, including the Privacy Act of 1974.
• Maintain confidentiality and ensure access to sensitive information is limited to authorized staff.
• Use various office automation software (e.g., VISTA, CPRS, ICBWeb, ISS, CTM) to manage patient care.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00-4:30pm
Remote/Virtual: This is not a remote/virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 53092-A
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.
• 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 (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: 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.
• Licensure/Certification/Registration: None.
• 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:
• 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.
• 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.

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 outlined above, candidates must possess the required specialized experience and be able to demonstrate all Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) as summarized below.

1. Experience:
One year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 level. (Creating daily workload assessments, assigning work, and assuring proper staffing coverage; evaluating training records; determining training needs of MSAs to provide support across interdisciplinary settings; assisting with complex and non-standard procedures, including clinical flow processes related to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community resources; ensuring accurate and timely scheduling of appointments; providing guidance to staff members, to include changes in policies and procedures; creating and maintaining employee work schedules; and acting as a liaison among Advanced MSA level staff, patients, and other interdisciplinary staff to resolve day-to-day conflicts.)

AND

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

• Advanced knowledge of managing or leading patient support staff in a clinic. This includes independently utilizing reference sources, decision making, and empowering the team to collaborate and resolve problems within a complex systems environment.
• Ability to provide the full range of administrative and supervisory duties to at least one subordinate MSA supervisor or team leader in a patient support setting which includes assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, and recommendation of awards and/or advancements.
• Ability to collaborate, communicate, and demonstrate customer service and interpersonal skills with internal and external customers to ensure quality/continuity of care and ensure compliance with established policies and regulations.
• Ability to provide briefings, orientations, staff development, and training in a patient support setting.
• Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and identify budget needs.

Preferred Experience: N/A

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8.

Physical Requirements: Position requires visual acuity, adequate auditory perception, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. Position requires extended periods of sitting. The position may require some bending and carrying of items. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations and able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must meet Employee Health mandates as a condition of employment

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.

• Resume:
  • Your resume must include the following information for each job listed:
    • Job Title
    • Duties (be as detailed as possible)
    • Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
    • Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
    • Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held
  • Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications. Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages or encrypted, and digitally signed documents linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

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)
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

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
• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.

Next steps