Clarification from the agency

This position is exempt from Veterans' Preference for Fiscal Year 2026 due to an agency-identified critical shortage. Applicants will be considered without applying Veterans' Preference criteria for this specific hiring action. This position is open to U.S. citizens (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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Primary Duties

- Perform duties at an advanced level, serving as the administrative subject matter expert within the Community Care team.
- Maintain effective communication with patients, interdisciplinary care teams, community providers, third-party administrators, and other VA facilities.
- Facilitate and process secure messages; notify patients of community care appointments and manage tracking systems for follow-up care.
- Participate in team huddles and meetings to plan and coordinate community care; set priorities and adjust workflow to meet patient and team needs.
- Monitor third-party systems to ensure readiness for procedures; manage electronic wait lists and validate scheduling accuracy.
- Schedule new and established appointments according to VA timeliness standards and clinical guidelines.
- Educate community providers about VA Community Care Program processes, policies, and contingency plans.
- Perform administrative duties using VA databases to extract, organize, and track patient and provider metrics; support quality improvement initiatives.
- Process incoming medical records from non-VA providers and ensure accurate integration into VA medical records.
- Manage appointment coordination, gather and update demographic information, enter data, and assist with resolving administrative concerns.
- Provide customer service in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner while supporting VA mission goals.

Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm, Monday - Friday
Compressed/Flexible:Not Available
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 40485F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• 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 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.
• 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.
• 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: In addition to meeting the basic requirements stated above, the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.

Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-06

• Experience: One year of experience providing administrative support in a medical or clinical setting. This may include scheduling patient appointments, coordinating care with providers, managing medical records, communicating with patients or healthcare teams, handling secure messages, using electronic health record systems, or performing customer service and clerical duties related to patient care.

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):
- Ability to collaborate, communicate clearly, set priorities, and organize work to meet deadlines while following established processes, policies, and regulations.
- Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively, both verbally and in writing, to achieve program goals-this includes preparing reports and presenting information at various organizational levels.
- Knowledge of the technical processes related to patient access to care, including scheduling, coordination, and managing patient flow.- Knowledge of clinic operations, including the ability to use reference resources, make independent decisions, and support teamwork in a complex healthcare environment.
- Knowledge of policies and procedures that affect patient flow, patient care, and administrative processes such as scheduling, consult management, and revenue-related activities.
- Knowledge of medical terminology sufficient to understand and interpret clinical documentation and communicate effectively with clinicians.

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.

Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work requires use of fingers; moderate walking and standing; near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in on eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; hearing aid permitted; clear speech; emotional stability; moderate duty.

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).

Preferred Experience:
- One year of medical administrative or scheduling experience that demonstrates skills comparable to work performed at the GS-5 level, such as coordinating patient care, managing appointments, handling medical records, or providing customer service in a clinical setting.

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

This position is above the full performance level of this vacancy.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, although some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light items such as papers, files, or office supplies may be required. The position requires the ability to sit for extended periods, work at a computer, and engage in frequent communication by telephone and in person. Occasional assistance in escorting patients or retrieving records may occur. No special physical demands are required to perform the duties of this position.

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

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.