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Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Health Administration- Northern Arizona VA Health Care System
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Northern Arizona VA Health Care System is seeking a highly energetic candidates to fill the Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) vacancy within the Community Care Service. Ideal candidate's resume will articulate exceptional skills in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns and ensure overall customer satisfaction and resolution, ability to operate computerized programs, and scheduling of appointments.



Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
06/16/2025 to 06/23/2025
Salary
$49,929 to - $64,905 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 6
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Prescott, AZ
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CBSX-12748354-25-RG
Control number
838847700

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.205) for this occupation.

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Duties

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Advanced Medical Support Assistants (AMSAs) interact with both internal and external customers providing exceptional customer service and ensuring overall customer satisfaction. Candidates will be reviewed for minimum qualifications as outlined in the qualifications section of this announcement and referred to the Northern Arizona VA Health Care System Hiring Managers.

Duties include but are not limited to:

  • Maintains appointment schedules for Community Care.
  • Communicates with Community Care providers to ensure they accept VA patients and payments.
  • Prepares any required pre-appointment documents.
  • Schedules the appropriate level of care and documents the schedule in the appropriate consult.
  • Scans to appropriate consult within the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) and alerts VA providers for continuity of care.
  • Coordinates internal and external care between customers and providers.
  • Processes consults following Office of Community Care procedures and guidelines and enters appropriate authorizations, if required, utilizing the correct Fund Control Point (FCP)/Obligation number and correct cost estimations.
  • Interprets and communicates requirements of VHA Scheduling Directives and complete accurate scheduling responsibilities and assist in training other MSA levels.
  • Processing Community Care Consults that are processed through various programs, such as, Community Care Network (CCN), Patient Centered Community Care (PC3), or Veteran Care Agreements (VCAs) and Direct Scheduling of various specialties.
  • Screens/receive phone calls in a courteous and timely manner, determine the nature of the requests and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processes
  • Fill in as "Acting Lead" when the Lead is absent
  • Assists in training of team members on administrative and technical aspects of the position.
  • Manage the flow of information between VA and Community Care providers and serve as a point of contact/Liaison for community providers and office managers and schedulers.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm (Tour may be subject to change based on needs of the facility).
Telework: Not Authorized
Virtual: Not Authorized
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Functional Statement #: 00000
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.
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period.
  • 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 dentification 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).

Qualifications

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.
  • English Language Proficiency: MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.j.
  • Experience and Education:
    • 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
    • Education. One year above high school; OR
    • Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.
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 the basic requirements, the following education and experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:

Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-6Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:1. 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.2. Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.3. 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.4. 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.5. 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.6. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.

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

Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds; Light carrying, under 15 pounds; Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; walking up to 1 hour; Hearing (aid permitted).

Education

There is no education substitution for the GS-6 Advanced MSA.

Additional information

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.

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.

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