Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Full Job Description

The incumbent serves as an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) in a VISN Clinical Contact Center (CCC) as part of an interprofessional healthcare team.

AMSA provides support across multiple ancillary and interprofessional clinics and determines the needs of the Veteran/caregiver.

The AMSA is responsible for routing clinical questions to appropriate clinical staff. This position is located at the Fort Knox.

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: 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: 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: Experience.

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 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. Certification. None required. Foreign Education.

To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S.

must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S.

programs.

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: n addition to the basic requirements for employment listed above, the following education and experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-6: Experience.

One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.

GS-5 grade level experience includes, but is not limited to: scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults; entering no-show information; monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic sources; participating in huddles with other MSAs and/or clinic staff to determine the daily needs of the clinic, monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility; verifying and updating demographics and insurance information when patients check-in for appointments.

Coordinates administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals and determines appointment type based on the patient's eligibility status (i.e., TRICARE, sharing agreements, collaterals, research patient, VA employee, etc.).

AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 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 Note: You must provide detailed information of your experience performed.

Information such as "I was a Medical Support Assistant" is insufficient to determine your qualifications.

Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week.

Preferred Experience: Previous experience in Clinical Call Center setting preferred. Minimum one year of previous experience with customer service in medical setting.

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 in the range of GS-6 Physical Requirements: Typically, the Advanced Medical Support Assistant must be able to operate a computer terminal and be able to manage multiple activities at one time.

Work is generally sedentary; however, there may be some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light items.

Work Environment: The work may be stressful due to the accelerated pace for several hours at a time during peak clinic hours or on days that have a large volume of clinic activity.

Work Environment: The work may be stressful due to the accelerated pace for several hours at a time during peak clinic hours or on days that have a large volume of clinic activity.

This position is not eligible for telework or remote setting. Major Duties:

This is an Open Continuous Announcement until April 13, 2026. The initial cut-off-date for referral eligible applications will be a February 27, 2026.

Applications will be referred as requested until vacancies are filled.

Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled.

All qualified candidates encouraged to apply.

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/EE9c4XkaEL Duties include but not limited to: Operates within the various contact modalities to receive and respond to a high demand of incoming and outgoing contacts in a call center setting using computerized interfaces and telecommunications hardware and software.

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.

Works collaboratively with VISN programs, services, and interprofessional coordinated care team members to provide access to care and meet the needs of Veterans via various available contact modalities.

Scheduling appointments, interprets and verifies provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines.

Utilizes numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics involved in an interprofessional coordinated care delivery model.

Develops and/or maintains effective and efficient communication with the patient, interprofessional care delivery teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies; communicate with non-VA medical facilities.

Provides information and resolution to Veterans' requests within scope, uses administrative judgement to escalate symptomatic concerns to clinicians within the VISN CCC or directs the contact to the appropriate discipline within the CCC or department for resolution.

Provides accurate details of organizational information to Veterans regarding the different services the VA offers. Provides high-quality customer service to Veterans and their families/caregivers.

Communicates tactfully and effectively to challenging customers who may be threatening, abusive, or distraught. Resolves Veteran complaints at lowest level or escalates to leadership as appropriate.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (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 authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 40925F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized