Clarification from the agency

This position is open to the public. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model in PACT or specialty care setting where the PACT model is used and may be required to serve on more than one team. The incumbent is able to independently manage position responsibilities with little supervision as well as set priorities and deadlines adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs.

As front-line contact with patients and staff, the incumbent sets the tone for perception concerning quality of healthcare services at the VA. He/she must determine the nature of requests and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processes. A high degree of tact and diplomacy is required when dealing with veterans who have multiple health problems and who may be frustrated with the administrative process associated with diagnosis and treatment.

Responsible for the proper and timely treatment of patients and maintains appointment schedules for one or more outpatient clinics. He/she must review the clinic utilization by using various reports (e.g., Clinic Utilization Statistical Summary) and assist with clinic access contingency plans by adjusting appointment times, location, or dates as well as shift patients to other healthcare providers as conflict with staffing and/or coverage occurs. The incumbent will notify his/her supervisor when clinic access is outside established performance guidelines or if an individual patient cannot be scheduled within mandated clinic timeframes and/or by the patient's desired date. He/she will work with the team to reinforce the plan of care by entering appropriate information into the electronic record (when directed) and through monitoring pre-appointment requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure (e.g., X-ray, lab work).

The incumbent will schedule appointments in accordance with current established VA/VHA Directives, Handbooks, policies and procedures. The incumbent will daily review active/pending consults, Electronic Wait List, and Recall List reports for accuracy and disposition. All appointments will be made with the patient's input or based on instructions from the clinic provider or other appropriate clinic staff. This may require a high level of coordination to avoid patients having to make multiple trips to the medical center or clinic whenever possible. The incumbent is responsible for notifying the provider or other appropriate clinical staff if scheduling instructions are contrary to current established VA/VHA Directives, Handbooks, policies and procedures. Scheduling instruction conflicts which cannot be appropriately resolved within teamlet must be elevated to the MSA's supervisor.
Supports patient safety standards using the correct Veterans Affairs identification of all patients through the use of two forms of identification, name and full Social Security Number. The patient may also present the Veterans Identification Card (VIC) for identification. He/she must use each interaction with the patient to validate and update patient demographic information, either in person during check-in or over the phone, to decrease the incidence of returned mail due to incorrect addresses and inability to contact patient by phone due to incorrect number.

Additional duties or tasks may be assigned.


Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 08:00am - 04:30pm
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
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: Adhoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 55568F
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

Basic Requirements:

• 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).
• Experience. No experience required.
• 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
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.
• 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:

• Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:
  • 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.
  • 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.

Preferred Experience:

• 1 year experience working in a clinical environment coordinating clinic schedules for providers (e.g. medical doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists/psychiatrists).
• 1 year experience scheduling patients in a medical appointment software in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.
• 1 year experience with medical terminology in a interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.
• 1 year experience managing patient communications in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model (e.g. telephone and/or e-mail).
• 1 year experience with documenting appropriate information into an electronic medical record.

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-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-06.

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.