Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

SummaryThe AMSA positions are in multiple service lines at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System - located at multiple campuses. These position are full time. Most shifts are scheduled during the day but some shifts could be evenings - nights - and include weekends/holidays and may work tours other than their regular scheduled tour - including working evenings - nights - weekends/holidays to cover shortages or high patient volume. Shift changes will be considered based on patient and facility needs.QualificationsBasic Requirements:United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA PolicyEducation or Experience: One year above high schoolOR Six months experience of 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 positionOR Experience/Education CombinationEquivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptableEnglish Language Proficiency: Medical Support Assistants appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in spoken and written EnglishGrandfathering Provision: All MSAs employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title - series - and grade held - which are a part of the basic requirements for the occupationFor employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard - but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it - the following provisions apply:(1) Such employees may be reassigned - promoted or changed to a lower grade within the occupation.(2) 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 this standard.(3) If an employee was converted to Title 38 hybrid status under this provision leaves the occupation - the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupationGrade Determinations: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) GS-06: Experience: One (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in Federal service (GS-05)Experience includes: Clinic experience in a hospital or doctor's office setting to include scheduling a high volume of appointments annuallyHigh level customer service skills as evidenced by daily interaction and communication with clinicians - patients - families and coworkersEvidence of work in a clinic setting with multiple inputs (in person - telephone - instant message communications) that need timely and professional resolutionEvidence of specific computer scheduling programs or software utilized in a clinic or hospitalIn addition to six months experience of 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 positionAnd Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSA): In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to collaborate and communicate with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines (e.gmedical 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 metAbility to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines - ensuring compliance with established processes - policies - and regulationsAbility to communicate tactfully and effectively - electronically - by phone - in person - and in writing - with internal and external customersThis may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels - as well as resolving patient concernsAdvanced 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 careAdvanced 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 - etcAdvanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by cliniciansReferences: VA Handbook 5005/117 Medical Support Assistant Qualification Standard GS-0679 - dated August 1 - 2019http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/Directives-Handbooks/Documents/5005.pdfThis can be found in the local Human Resources OfficeThe full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06Physical Requirements: The work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing - bending - reaching - crouching - stooping - stretching - and lifting moderately heavy items such as papers - books - manuals - record boxes and boxes of computer paperComputers are used and therefore keyboarding is requiredThe work includes walking from area to area when covering for other employeesApplicant may at times be exposed to stressful situations with Veterans.DutiesThese positions serve as a Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) at VA Connecticut Healthcare SystemPosition is responsible for a wide range of assignments and provides administrative support to the assigned sectionDuties may include - but are not limited to: Supports clinics regarding clinic profile managementCollects and updates insurance information from Veterans - family members and other eligible patientsPrepares correspondence and memos as neededScreens/receive phone calls in a courteous and timely manner - determine the nature of request and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processesEnsures data is entered into VISTA accurately and scans documents into VISTA Imaging within 24 hours of entering the data into VISTA if applicablePromotes Veterans registration for and utilization of MyHealthyVet (MHV) and kiosks usageFollows procedures regarding Community Care referralsServes as the initial point of contact for units - clinics - patients - call centers - Care in the Community regarding various aspects of patient appointments and referralsEnters Veterans seeking emergent/urgent care - scheduling appointments accuratelyPre-Registers Veterans during check-in and utilizing call lists and telephones Veterans before their scheduled visitsIncumbent updates all patient demographicsCommunicates and interacts with patients in a manner which is appropriate to cognitive - emotional - and chronological maturation needs of the adult and/or geriatric patientWork Schedule: Monday through Friday - day shift hours - To Be Determined Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Remote: Not Authorized Telework/Virtual: Not Authorized Position Title/Functional Statement #: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)/F01391 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Notifications: THIS OPEN & CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT (OCA) ESTABLISHES A STANDING REGISTER OF ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS - which closes on 02/09/2026The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be on or about November 4 - 2025 with subsequent reviews every other week as additional vacancies occur - or on an as-needed basis - until positions are filledPlease see the \"What To Expect Next\" area of the announcement which provides additional information on the referral process for this type of announcementDue to a critical staffing shortage - 38 U.S.C.7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcementCurrent and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 - (Notice of Personnel Action)The SF-50 must identify the position title - series - grade - step - tenure and type of service (competitive or Excepted)In some cases - more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously heldDo not submit an award SF-50This position is covered by locality-based comparability payApplicants may be referred over for consideration prior to the close date of this announcementThere may not be a vacancy at a listed locationApplicants for those locations will be added to our applicant pool if one should occurVA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Medical Support Assistant: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-MSA-VA-Career-Flyer.pdf