Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

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.

01Basic 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. Foreign Education.

To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. 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).

02Grade Determinations

In addition to the basic requirements for employment, candidates must meet the following grade-determining criteria for placement at grade levels specified. Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) GS-06 Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade GS-5. Experience include: Independently performs a full range of duties related to the delivery of health care services in an inpatient or outpatient setting.

Advises clinical staff on administrative processes, answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages, scheduling appointments, canceling, and monitoring request, verifying demographics and insurance information. AND Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs).

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 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.

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. Assignment.

For all assignments above the FPL, the higher-level duties must be of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity, and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. At the advanced level, the Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) (AMSA) performs difficult and responsible 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. 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 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.).

Other assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: processes incoming patient secure messaging through MyHealthyVet and coordinates with care team as appropriate; participates in team huddles and team meetings to manage, plan, problem solve, and follow-up with patient care by sharing information and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team; setting priorities and deadlines, adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs; identifies incomplete encounters and communicates findings to providers; as needed; assists the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions; enters appropriate information into the electronic record; monitors pre-appointment information and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure; manages patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues; evaluates patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether the patient requires an immediate appointment; informs team members about shared patients (i.e., those who receive their care at multiple VA centers or those who receive care in the community).

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-6.

03Physical Requirements

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service, for requirement

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The incumbent manages appointment scheduling using Advanced Clinic Access principles, updates demographic and insurance information, maintains the VA Online Scheduling (VAOS) database, and delivers front-line customer service both in person and by phone. This role supports staffing, training, compliance, quality assurance, and reporting requirements that impact patient flow, revenue, performance measures, and the facility's public image.

The AMSA works independently, exercising sound judgment in resolving administrative issues that influence patient care delivery. Duties include reception, daily patient processing, knowledge to support any modality withing the medical center to include Primary Care, Mental Health, Diagnostic Service, Pain Management and Rehabilitation, Surgical and Medical Service.

The position requires excellent communication skills, effective problem solving, and the ability to support continuous clinic operations, including staggered shifts or weekend clinics when needed.

The AMSA reports directly to the Supervisory Medical Support Assistant, Medical Administration Service (MAS) at the Martinsburg VA Medical Center Functions: Serves as a primary administrative support resource for outpatient clinics, independently managing complex scheduling and access activities in accordance with VHA and local policies.

Performs receptionist duties, both face-to-face and telephonically, including ACD/call room scheduling coverage, providing courteous, timely, and Veteran-centered customer service while safeguarding privacy and confidentiality. Screens and receives incoming calls, determines the nature of requests, and provides accurate information or resolution using established clinic processes and privacy regulations.

Using VHA approved scheduling and appointment applications, coordinates, schedules, reschedules, and cancels appointments using advanced access principles; adjusts appointment times, dates, or locations to support contingency plans related to staffing shortages or provider availability. Shifts patients to alternate providers or clinics as needed to ensure continuity of care and compliance with mandated access standards.

Manages and performs daily reviews of active and pending consults, ICBWeb, VA Online Scheduling (VAOS), Open Slot Management (OSM) Audiocare communications to ensure accuracy, proper disposition, and timely follow-up as well as end-of-day review of no-show and/or patient cancellation reports and disposition accordingly. Collects, verifies, and updates Veteran demographic, verifies eligibility, and insurance information to support accurate billing, reporting, and revenue cycle activities.

Notifies supervisors or clinic leadership when clinic access is suboptimal or when Veterans cannot be scheduled within required timeframes. Participates in daily team huddles and weekly team meetings focused on patient care planning and management, except when clinic coverage requirements necessitate absence. Coordinates administrative services for Veterans, family members, caregivers, the general public, and interdisciplinary staff to ensure continuity of inpatient and outpatient care.

Ensures receipt, processing, and integration of medical and administrative records into the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS), including initiating scanning when required. Interprets and applies a complex body of laws, regulations, directives, and policies governing VA health care benefits and administrative operations. Other Duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 26733-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized