Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Veterans Affairs seeks Advanced Medical Support Assistants (AMSA) to serve as versatile clerical staff who support physicians, nurses, and other clinical teams. AMSAs are key information sources and help facilitate patient care across the medical facility. Qualified candidates must be U.S.

citizens, have a high school diploma or GED, English proficiency, and no formal experience required. The role emphasizes scheduling, patient access, and collaboration across disciplinary

Qualifications

• US citizenship required.
• High school diploma or GED required.
• English language proficiency in speaking and writing per VA standards.
• Experience: None

Responsibilities

• Provide clerical support and information to patients, physicians, and staff.
• Assist physicians, nurses, and other clinical staff in patient care workflows.
• Manage scheduling and coordination of care access across units.

Skills

Medical terminology

Care coordination

Interdisciplinary teamwork

Communication skills

Prioritization

Education

High school diploma

GED equivalent

Tools

EMR systems

Patient portals

Job description

Advanced Medical Support Assistants (AMSA) are multi-functional employees with full clerical capabilities and responsibilities. AMSA are considered chief sources of information and play an important role in accomplishing the work of the unit. They perform a variety of support duties that facilitate the work of physicians, physician assistants, nurses, nursing assistants, and other members of the medical facility who provide patient care.

***KSA Recommendation -

All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to demonstrate your experience and knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) in your application may result in disqualification. It is strongly recommended that you write to each KSA (found below) to demonstrate how you have gained each one in your application package or on a supplemental document***

Creditable Experience

Knowledge of MSA Practices. 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].

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).

Education. High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.

Experience: None

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

• 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:
• 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.
• 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 re-entry to the occupation.
• NOTE: This provision is not intended to regularize appointments/ placements.

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.

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

Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-06.

Experience

One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade and be able to demonstrate the below knowledge, skills and abilities.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (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.

Preferred Experience

• Medical Support Assistant/Scheduling Experience
• Medical/Healthcare Terminology
• Customer Service Experience

Reference

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

Physical Requirements

This work is administrative which requires standing, walking, sitting, stooping, bending, lifting light objects, answering telephones, and data entry.