Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

US Department of Veterans Affairs; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

US Department of Veterans Affairs in Tucson, AZ is seeking an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (MSA) to coordinate appointments across outpatient clinics, mental health, and primary care. The role emphasizes teamwork with clinicians and requires accurate scheduling, data entry, and patient communication to support timely access to care.

You will work within an interdisciplinary care model, manage electronic records, assist with patient inquiries, and help optimize clinic flow from pre-visit to

Qualifications

• Six months experience clerical, office, customer service, or other administrative work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position.
• One year above high school; or equivalent combination of experience and education.
• Citizenship and English proficiency as required by VA Handbook 5005/Part II.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and manage patient appointments across outpatient clinics, mental health, and primary care.
• Support scheduling for COVID-19 vaccine activities when applicable and assist with patient communications.
• Maintain and review patient information in electronic records and coordinate with the care team to ensure patient flow and service availability.

Skills

Collaboration with clinicians

Prioritization and organization

Effective communication

Health care knowledge

Education

One year above high school

Six months clerical/administrative experience

Tools

Electronic health records system

Job description

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (MSA) supports multiple areas within the Outpatient Clinics, Mental Health and Primary Care Departments. Duties mainly support the overall management and coordination of appointments for Veterans within all Medical Centers or community clinics. Duties also may include scheduling for COVID-19 Vaccine administration activities. This announcement is OPEN FOR ALL Southern Arizona VA Medical Departments.

Basic Requirements:

Citizenship Citizen of the United States.

English Language Proficiency MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.j.

• Experience and Education: Six months experience clerical, office, customer service, or other administrative work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position; or
• Education. One year above high school; or
• Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.

Grade Determinations

GS-6 Advanced MSA

Experience.

In addition to meeting the basic requirements, candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs

• 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.

Assignment.

The Advanced MSA provides specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model Work involves 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. Recommends changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines. Expertise in utilizing numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics involved in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. Coordinates 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. MSAs at this level 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.).Other assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: processes incoming patient secure messaging through MyHealthyVet and coordinates with care team as appropriate; participates 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; assists 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; evaluates 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). For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty), and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

References:

VA Handbook 5005/53, Part II, Appendix G45, Medical Support Assistant GS-679.

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.