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Lead Medical Support Assistant

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
VHA/ Carl Vinson VA/ Dublin, GA

Summary

The Lead Medical Support Assistant serves as the principal technical and workflow resource for assigned Advanced Medical Support Assistants within VA Community Care. The incumbent coordinates day-to-day administrative operations supporting Community Care referral and appointment management, including workload assessment, work assignment and distribution, staffing coverage, backlog monitoring, quality review, training, and resolution of complex or non-standard administrative issues.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
3 vacancies in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$50,460 - $65,599 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Not required
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Excepted Service
Represented by a union
Yes
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Other
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
CBTB-13112541-27-JMM
Control number
892119900

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. **ONLY OPEN TO CURRENT COMMUNITY CARE SERVICE LINE WITHIN THE CARL VINSON VA**

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Duties

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**ONLY OPEN TO CURRENT COMMUNITY CARE SERVICE LINE WITHIN THE CARL VINSON VA**

FUNCTIONS OR SCOPES OF PRACTICE
A. Lead Workflow Coordination

  • Conducts daily workload assessments and distributes and balances work among assigned Advanced MSAs in accordance with established workflow, employee availability, workload priorities, and staff competencies.
  • Monitors the status and progress of assigned work, pending actions, consult inventories, staffing coverage, and backlogs. Makes day-to-day workflow adjustments within established priorities to support timely completion of work.
  • Communicates assignments, priorities, deadlines, procedural changes, and approved operational guidance to staff. Follows up on incomplete work and explains its effect on Veterans, providers, other teams, and Community Care operations.
  • Resolves routine day-to-day workflow conflicts and administrative barriers. Refers matters involving policy exceptions, employee conduct, formal performance management, leave approval, or disciplinary action to the Supervisory MSA.

B. Technical Guidance and Complex Issue Resolution
  • Assists staff with complex and non-standard administrative cases involving multiple specialties, clinics, community resources, systems, or stakeholders. Applies current guidance and established procedures within delegated authority.
  • Provides accurate administrative information concerning Community Care processes and next steps. Refers clinical questions, reports of worsening symptoms, medical-advice requests, and matters requiring clinical judgment to the appropriate licensed clinical staff member.

C. Quality Assurance, Compliance, and Reporting
  • Conducts and documents recurring and focused quality reviews in accordance with current national and local Community Care procedures, approved audit guidance, and leadership-established review schedules.
  • Reviews consult processing, scheduling actions, authorization entries, appointment documentation, medical document receipt, consult linkage, and closure actions for accuracy, completeness, timeliness, and compliance.

D. Training and Staff Development
  • Provides orientation, on-the-job training, refresher education, and technical assistance to new and current MSAs using approved procedures, training materials, competencies, and standard work.
  • Reviews training records, identifies knowledge or skill gaps, and communicates training needs and recommendations to the Supervisory MSA.
  • Reviews and updates local procedure manuals, reference materials, job aids, and standard work at least semi-annually or when guidance changes, subject to supervisory review and approval.

E. Community Care Referral and Appointment Coordination
  • Supports the administrative progression of the Veteran's Community Care episode from receipt of an authorized referral through scheduling, documentation receipt, required follow-up, and administrative disposition or closure.
  • May contact Veterans, authorized representatives, and community providers to explain administrative requirements, request missing non-clinical information, communicate status, and support timely referral processing.

F. Systems, Call-Queue Operations, and Records
  • Uses CPRS, CTM, HSRM, PPMS, Finesse, approved electronic fax and scanning tools, and other authorized patient and Community Care systems applicable to the assignment.
  • Monitors assigned electronic fax, scanning, or document queues to support timely processing and routing of Community Care records.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional


Work Schedule: Monday through Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
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 #: 63753F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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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:

  • Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.g.).
  • Experience and Education.(1) Experience. Six months experience of clerical, office, [customer service], or other [administrative] work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position; OR,(2) Education. One year above high school; OR,(3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.
  • Certification. None required.
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:
Lead Medical Support Assistant, GS-07
Experience.
One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to meeting the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
(a) Advanced knowledge of medical terminology and a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community.
(b) Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff.
(c) Ability to utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting.
(d) Ability to organize work, set priorities, and delegate tasks/responsibilities in order to meet deadlines.
(e) Ability to provide staff development and training.
(f) Ability to manage staffing requirements, manage workflow priorities, and adjust the flow of work to meet team and patient needs. This includes the ability to follow-up on pending issues and demonstrate an understanding of the impact of incomplete work across multiple clinics.

Preferred Experience: Experience working in a VA Community Care program with responsibility for referral and consult management, care coordination, and scheduling activities. Candidates should possess knowledge of VA scheduling policies and access standards; proficiency in Vista, CPRS, and HealthShare Referral Manager (HSRM); experience providing guidance and support to administrative staff in a lead capacity; and demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with Veterans, providers, and multidisciplinary teams while managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced healthcare environment.

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-5. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-7.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

Veterans Health Administration

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

Agency contact information

Jenna McCarthy
Email
Jenna.McCarthy@va.gov
Address
Carl Vinson VA Medical Center
1826 Veterans Boulevard
Dublin, GA 31021
US

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