Clarification from the agency

Open to Current, Permanent, VISN 22 - Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Employees Only. This includes VISN 22, Long Beach VA, San Diego VA, Greater Los Angeles VA, Loma Linda VA , Phoenix VA , Southern Arizona , Northern Arizona , and New Mexico VA Health Care System Employees.

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The Medical Support Support (Advanced) (AMSA) serves in a VISN 22 Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (MH RRTP) - Centralized Screening Team (CST) as part of an interprofessional healthcare team. The AMSA provides support across multiple ancillary and interprofessional clinics and determines the needs of the Veteran. The AMSA is responsible for routing clinical questions to appropriate clinical staff. The AMSA plays an integral role in achieving first-contact resolution through Veteran-centered delivery of care. The AMSA provides information on programs and initiatives available to Veterans and provides administrative referrals of services as needed. The AMSA collaborates to best coordinate the care needs of the Veteran.

The AMSA provides specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interprofessional coordinated care delivery model. Work involves specialized administrative judgement and the flexible use of a wide range of clinic flow processes relating to access to care across multiple mental health clinics, specialties, and/or care in the community resources. Works collaboratively with VISN mental health programs, services, and interprofessional coordinated care team members to provide access to care and meet the needs of Veterans via various available contact modalities to include but not limited to telephone calls, secure messages, and chat messages, greeting Veterans, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the VISN RRTP CST, scheduling appointments, interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA National Scheduling guidelines, recommend changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines. Expertise in utilizing numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics involved in an interprofessional coordinated care delivery model. AMSAs at this level develop and or maintain effective and efficient communication with the Veteran, interprofessional care delivery teams, VA Medical Centers, and other agencies; communicate with non-VA medical facilities.

Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Scheduling, canceling, rescheduling Veteran appointments and/or consults.
• Entering no-show information.
• Monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronics sources.
• Reviewing electronic health record, obtaining medical records
• Participating in huddles with the VISN 22 RRTP CST staff and facility MH RRTP stakeholders to determine the daily needs of the teams.
• Monitoring outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility.
• Verifying and updating demographics when contacted by Veterans.
• Manages patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues.
• Evaluates patient information in the clinic schedule lists to determine whether the patient requires an immediate appointment
• Informs interprofessional team members about shared patients, those who receive their care at multiple VA centers or those who receive care in the community.
• Other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Tuesday - Saturday OR Sunday - Thursday, 8- Hour Shift may begin by 7:00 a.m. and end no later than 7:00 p.m. Your Current Time.
Compressed/Flexible:Available.
Telework: Not Available.
Virtual: This is NOT a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
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.
• 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 trial 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.
• 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: Six (6) 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 (1) 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).

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).

GS-06 Grade Determinations: In addition to the Basic Requirements for employment listed above, the following education and experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates for Advanced Medical Support Assistant GS-6:

a. Experience: One (1) year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. The specialized experience for this position includes the following, but not limited to:

• Specialized Experience - In an advanced or complex clinical setting utilizing numerous advanced patient care systems, scheduling appointments across multiple clinics and coordination of services among a diverse team of medical providers and clinics to include outside agencies, advanced knowledge of medical terminology, advanced knowledge of the technical health care processes, policy and procedures as it relates to coordination of care.
• IMPORTANT: Education CANNOT be substituted for the one year of specialized experience that is required.

b. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. (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.

c. Assignment. The Advanced MSA [provides specialized and expert administrative patient support while working] collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model [ ]. [Work involves specialized administrative judgment and the flexible use of a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or care in the community resources. Recommends changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines. Expertise in utilizing numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics involved in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. Coordinates] with the patient care team to review clinic [appointment availability] (utilization) [ ] to ensure that clinic [schedules are] closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinics, and [makes adjustments as necessary]. [MSAs at this level] develop [and/or] maintain effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary [coordinated care delivery model teams] , VA medical centers, and other agencies (e.g., assist with communications during the inpatient to outpatient discharge; communicate with non-VA medical facilities; [prepare correspondence] to notify patients of normal lab results; [ ] manage a [ ] system for follow-up care such as consults, tests, etc.).

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 work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort (e.g., lifting, bending, walking, etc.) may
be required. The incumbent works in an office which is adequately heated, lighted, and ventilated. May require some travel.

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.