Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Summary

The incumbent serves as a Medical Support Assistant in the Clinical Access Management Service for the LTC Charles S. Kettles VA Medical Center. This position is located at the Flint Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) in Flint - MI.

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

• 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
• High school diploma - General Education Development equivalency certificate - or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education
• (A Transcript or proof of High School Diploma/Equivalent is required if basing any or all qualifications on 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: In addition to the basic requirements above - applicants must meet the following experience: Experience
• One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-5 Medical Support Assistant grade level
• Duties at this level include - but are not limited to: performing a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting
• answering phones
• greeting patients
• relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit
• scheduling appointments
• including interpreting and verifying provider orders to schedule within scheduling guidelines
• AND Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• Candidates must demonstrate the KSAs below: 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
• 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
• Note: You must provide detailed information of your experience performed
• Information such as ""I was a Medical Support Assistant"" is insufficient to determine your qualifications
• Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title - duties - month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week
• Note: 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 a range of varieties
• 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
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-06 Physical Requirements: Typically - the Advanced Medical Support Assistant must be able to operate a computer terminal and be able to manage multiple activities at one time
• Work is generally sedentary
• however - there may be some walking - standing - bending - and carrying of light items
• Work Environment: The work may be stressful due to the accelerated pace for several hours at a time during peak clinic hours or on days that have a large volume of clinic activity.
  
  

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major duties of this position include - but are not limited to: Provide specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model
• Provide 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
• Utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics involved in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model
• Coordinate 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
• 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.)
• Process incoming patient secure messaging through MyHealthyVet and coordinate with care team as appropriate
• Participate 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
• Assist 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
• Evaluate 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)
• Uses word processing software to execute several office automations functions such as storing and retrieving electronic documents and files
• activating printers
• inserting and deleting text - formatting letters - reports - and memoranda
• and transmitting and receiving e-mail Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 08:00am - 4:30pm 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 #:91463A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized