What are the responsibilities and job description for the Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) position at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs?
Summary
The Medical Support Assistant (MSA) position serves as a Consult Coordinator for Non VA Care. The MSA works collaboratively with other members of expanded health care teams (i.e. PACT - specialty care) including Non VA Care providers - pharmacists - social workers - dieticians - behavioral health staff - etc. to provide a robust interdisciplinary approach to care.
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
The Medical Support Assistant (MSA) position serves as a Consult Coordinator for Non VA Care. The MSA works collaboratively with other members of expanded health care teams (i.e. PACT - specialty care) including Non VA Care providers - pharmacists - social workers - dieticians - behavioral health staff - etc. to provide a robust interdisciplinary approach to care.
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: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.)
- Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C.
- 7407(a)
- Experience: None
- Education: You must possess one of the following: 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)
- Grandfathering Provision: All Medical Support Assistants (MSAs) employed in Veterans Health Administration (VHA) in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard (February 20 - 2026) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title - series - and grade held - which are a part of the basic requirements of the occupation
- For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard - but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it - the following provisions apply:(1) Such employees may be reassigned - promoted - or changed to a lower grade within the occupation.(2) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed - on a temporary or permanent basis - until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.(3) If an employee who was converted to Title 38 hybrid status under this provision leaves the occupation - the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation
- Grade Determinations: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) GS-06: Experience: One (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in Federal service (GS-05)
- Experience includes: independently performs a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting
- Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes
- The MSA is responsible for answering phones - greeting patients - relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit - scheduling appointments - including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines
- Assignments at this level include - but are not limited to: scheduling - canceling - re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults
- entering no-show information
- monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic sources
- participating in huddles with other MSAs and/or clinic staff to determine the daily needs of the clinic - monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility
- verifying and updating demographics and insurance information when patients check-in for appointments
- Coordinates administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals and determines appointment type based on the patient's eligibility status (i.e. - TRICARE - sharing agreements - collaterals - research patient - VA employee - etc.)
- Preferred Experience: Consult Management - VA Scheduling - Appointment Management - Community Care - Health Share Referral Management (HSRM) - RefDoc - External Provider Scheduling (EPS)
- MyHealtheVet - and scanning medical records
- AND Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSA): In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process - including scheduling across interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or community care models - and patient health care portals as they relate to access to care
- Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or community operational activities that affect patient flow - as well as patient support administrative functions (e.g. - appointment cycles - outside referrals - follow-up care - overbooking - provider availability)
- Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical language used by clinicians
- Ability to collaborate and communicate effectively 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 support team goal-setting and ensure medical care needs are met
- Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines while ensuring compliance with established processes - policies - and regulations
- Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively - both verbally and in writing - with internal and external customers
- 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: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements
- See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.
- VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo The MSA works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model (i.e
- PACT - Specialty Clinics - C&P - Non VA Care) and performs receptionist duties - customer service and other duties assigned for the proper and timely treatment of patients and maintains appointment schedules for all Non VA Care
- Communicates with Non VA Care providers to ensure they accept VA patients and payments - prepare any required pre-appointment documents - schedules the appropriate level of care and documents the schedule in the appropriate consult
- Obtains medical documentation from Non VA providers - scans to appropriate consult within CPRS and view alerts the VA providers for continuity of care
- Coordinates internal and external care between customers and providers
- Supports patient safety standards using the correct Veterans Affairs identification of all patients through the use of two forms of identification - name and full Social Security Number
- The patient may also present the Veterans Healthcare Identification Card (VHIC) for identification
- He/she must use each interaction with the patient to validate and update patient demographic information - either in person during check-in or over the phone - to decrease the incidence of returned mail due to incorrect addresses and inability to contact patient by phone due to incorrect number
- Work Schedule: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Monday - Friday (Subject to change based on the needs of the agency)
- Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
- Functional Statement #: 59634F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Salary : $46,355 - $60,261