Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Summary

The incumbent serves as an Advanced Medical Support Assistant assigned to a Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) model or a Specialty Care Setting involved in a PACT model. The PACT team let is a primary care team that generally consists of a primary care provider (MD - NP - PA) - registered nurse care manager - clinical associate (LPN or medical assistant/health technician) and an administrative associate (MA/MSA/health technician).

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/30/2026. Medical Support Assistant

Basic Requirements

• Citizenship: Citizen of the United States
• (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance to 38 U.S.C.
• 7407(a)
• Experience and Education: Experience: None
• OR Education: 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
• 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
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C.
• 7403(f)
• Foreign Education
• To be creditable - education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs
• Grade Determinations: Creditable Experience: To be creditable - the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities or an equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting
• Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as an MSA or an equivalent position in a non-VA hospital or clinic setting
• Part-Time Experience: Part-time experience as an MSA or equivalent administrative patient support in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting is creditable according to its relationship for the full-time workweek
• For example - an MSA employed 20 hours a week - or on a 1/2-time basis - would receive one full-time workweek of credit for each two weeks of service
• Quality of Experience: Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience or equivalent administrative clinical support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting at the next lower grade level
• For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope - administrative independence - complexity (difficulty) - and range of varieties as described in this standard - at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements - candidates must possess the required specialized experience and be able to demonstrate all Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSAs) as summarized below
• GS-5 Grade Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level that equips the candidate with the following: Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients
• Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns - and refer to the appropriate staff - as necessary - to ensure a satisfactory resolution
• Ability to operate computerized programs and systems in order to enter - modify - and retrieve sensitive medical and patient identifying information (PII) into or from electronic health records - scheduling systems - and/or reports
• Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting
• Ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person - electronically - and/or by telephone - with internal and external customers
• AND GS-6 Grade Requirements: Candidates must be able to also demonstrate all of the knowledge - skills and abilities below (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
• References: VA Qualification Standards - Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO)
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6 Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position
• Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.
  
  

Duties

• VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major duties include (but not limited to): Coordinates with the patient care team to review the clinic utilization by using various reports (e.g. - Clinic Utilization Statistical Summary) - ensure that the clinic setup is closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinic - and make any necessary adjustments
• Develop/maintain effective and efficient communication with the patient - interdisciplinary team - VA medical centers - and other agencies (e.g. - assist with communications during the inpatient to outpatient discharge
• communicate with non-VA medical facilities
• facilitate/process secure messaging with the patient and team
• notify patients of normal lab results
• develop and manage a tracking system for follow up care such as consults - tests - etc.)
• Participating in team huddles and team meetings to manage and plan patient care
• setting priorities and deadlines - adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs
• May work with the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions and entering appropriate information into the electronic record
• Monitoring pre-appointment requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure (e.g. - X-ray - lab work)
• managing electronic wait list to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues
• Participating and providing input in problem solving on operational issues or procedures in team meetings - performing administrative follow up actions
• participating in and independently following up on team huddles by sharing information and collaborating with the medical team to assure continuity of care
• Evaluating patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether patient is vested
• educating providers about shared patients (those who receive their care at multiple VAs or those who have care in the community) and bringing to the attention of the provider
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 7:30am - 4:00pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• 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 #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized