Medical Support Assistant (Advance)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

The Southern Arizona VA Healthcare Systems seeks an Advanced Medical Support Assistant to act as a liaison among patients, nursing and medical staff, and external providers in their area.

Applicants may be tentatively selected if educational or licensure requirements are pending, with hiring contingent upon meeting all requirements.

Qualifications

• One year of creditable experience equivalent to GS-5.
• Advanced knowledge of care delivery processes and patient flow.
• Ability to communicate with many medical disciplines to meet goals.

Skills

Health care processes

Interdisciplinary coordination

Medical terminology

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Prioritization & time management

Effective communication

Education

High school diploma

GED certificate

State proficiency certificate

Post-high school education

Grandfathering provision (GS-0679)

Job description

The Southern Arizona VA Healthcare Systems (SAVACHS) is seeking an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA). This position serves as the liaison between patients, nursing staff, medical staff, outside agencies, community providers, and other VA Health Care Systems in their assigned area.

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: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Education:
  • High school diploma or transcript (including homeschooling)
  • General Education Development (GED) certificate
  • Proficiency certificate issued by a State or Territorial Board or Department of Education
  • Post-high school education
  • You do not have one of the education levels listed above, but you were in the Medical Support Assistant occupation (GS-0679) on a permanent appointment with the Department of Veterans Affairs as of February 5, 2026, meeting all qualification requirements as part of the grandfathering provision.
• Note: Copy of high school diploma OR high school transcript (unofficial or official) OR GED Certificate OR homeschooling completion OR proficiency certificate issued by a State or Territorial Board or Department of Education OR college transcript (official) if not covered under the grandfathering provision.

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).

Grade Determinations

In addition to the Basic Requirements, to be qualified you must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-5).In addition, you 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.

Reference

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements

Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds; Light carrying, under 15 pounds; Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; walking up to 1 hour; Hearing (aid permitted); may be working alone and/or working closely with others.