Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Odessa (TX); On-site; USD 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Family leave

Federal health benefits

Retirement plan

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Odessa, TX seeks an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) to support access to care, coordinate outpatient appointments, and handle patient processing with a focus on service quality.

The role requires collaboration with diverse clinicians, strong organizational skills, and proficiency in CPRS and health portals to support efficient clinic operations.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED is required.
• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Proficiency in English both spoken and written.

Responsibilities

• Assist with scheduling and coordinating appointments across clinics.
• Collect and update demographic and insurance information.
• Provide patient processing and customer service support.
• Maintain appointment schedules and coordinate care access.
• Communicate with clinicians and staff to ensure timely care.

Skills

Collaboration

Prioritization

Communication

Customer service

CPRS familiarity

Medical terminology

Education

High school diploma / GED

Tools

CPRS

Job description

Summary

The incumbent serves as an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) in the Health Administration Service (HAS). The incumbent's work impacts the administrative aspect of patient care - including access - scheduling/coordinating appointments using advanced clinic access principles - collecting - and updating demographic and insurance information - consult scheduling - patient processing - and customer service.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 09/30/2026

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
• No experience required
• 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 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
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C.
• 7403(f)
• 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 for employment listed above - the following education and experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: i
• 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
• ii
• Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines - ensuring compliance with established processes - policies - and regulations
• iii
• 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
• iv
• 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
• v
• 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
• vi
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians
• Preferred Experience: Experience of working in a clerical or administrative office
• Experience with scheduling in an appointment system or calendar
• Ability to communicate and provide customer service to a wide variety of population
• Ability multitask using multiple systems to get the job done
• 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: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation and would generally not require a pre-placement examination.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include but are not limited to: The AMSA works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model (i.e PACT) and performs receptionist duties - customer service and other duties assigned for the proper and timely treatment of patients and maintains appointment schedules for one or more outpatient clinics
• The AMSA is able to independently manage position responsibilities with little supervision as well as set priorities and deadlines adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs
• The AMSA conducts daily review of active/pending consults - Return to Clinic (RTC) Orders - Recall Reminder list - Secure Messaging - and Audiocare communications for accuracy and disposition
• When records are received - the incumbent will ensure that all necessary health/ administrative information are integrated into Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) by sending the documents to scanning
• Required to review frequent changes to VHA directives - regulations and local policies and maintain constant coordination to ensure compliance and standardization associated with Advanced Clinic Access principles
• Generates patient workload reports for validation and monitors activity in clinical areas to assure consistent and accurate reporting
• Organizes and implements quality assurance monitors
• prepares a wide variety of administrative reports and documents for supervisor and Health Administration Service
• Conducts patient/employee surveys - interviews - observes workflow
• guides patients through hospital system - inputs medication refills for the provider to sign - documents complaints - and provides follow-up and suggests resolutions to supervisor
• Incumbent intervenes to resolve difficult problems and diffuses potential dissatisfaction with VA services in order to prevent congressional and adverse publicity
• Serves as technical advisor and liaison with contacts at all levels
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday
• 0800 - 1630 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 #: 53236-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized