Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Linthicum (MD); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

The US Department of Veterans Affairs seeks an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) to perform a range of administrative support for Veteran inpatient and outpatient visits, care, and treatment within the interdisciplinary CRH model.

The AMSA will coordinate scheduling, patient flow, and documentation across teams, apply medical terminology knowledge, and communicate with clinicians and patients to ensure timely access to care.

Qualifications

• Education: High school diploma or GED (or equivalent).
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology used by clinicians.
• Ability to coordinate scheduling across interdisciplinary teams.
• Strong communication skills with patients and internal staff.
• Ability to independently set priorities and manage deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support for Veterans’ inpatient and outpatient visits, care, and treatment.
• Coordinate scheduling and patient flow across interdisciplinary teams.
• Prepare reports and maintain documentation for care delivery.

Skills

Scheduling coordination

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Medical terminology

Communication

Prioritization & organization

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

The position is an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) within the VISN 5 Clinical Resource Hub (CRH). The primary duties of the MSA are to perform a variety of administrative support functions in connection with Veteran's inpatient and outpatient visits, care, and treatment while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.

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. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Education. High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.

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).

Grandfathering Provision.

Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and registration/certification where applicable. For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment-specific requirements in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:

(1) 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.

(2) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose 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-6

Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

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

• (a) 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.
• (b) 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.
• (c) Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.
• (d) 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.
• (e) Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.
• (f) 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/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-6.

Physical Requirements:

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