Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Full Job Description

The incumbent serves as an Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) at the El Paso Veterans Affairs Health Care System in El Paso, Texas.

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, patient processing, and customer service.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/02/2026.

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. Experience and Education.

(1) 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, (2) Education.

One year above high school; OR, (3) 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. 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.

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).

GS-6 Grade Determination: Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.

At this level, the MSA independently performs a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting.

Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes; scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults. 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 MyHealthy Vet 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.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 1.

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.

2. Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations. 3.

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. 4.

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.

5.

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.

6. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.

Preferred Experience: Customer Service with experience in deescalation, problem solving, decision making and good tactful communication skills orally and in writing Advanced knowledge of managing a clinic to include advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with operational activities and team collaboration Advanced Knowledge of Medical Terminology including documenting/reading administrative notes in medical charts Scheduling/rescheduling in a clinical setting including experience reading and verifying provider's orders, consults, imaging requests and laboratory orders Experience with workload reports and data collection (MS Excel) to include meeting deadlines, set priorities and organize the work Demographics verify and update along with third party insurance capture including providing proper information to patients and family members 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.

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. Major Duties:

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (MSA) is responsible for assuring that various aspects of staffing, training, compliance, reporting, quality assurance, and budgetary initiatives are met.

These activities directly affect the revenue cycle, patient access to care, hospital performance goals and objectives, as well as VHA public image.

The incumbent plays an integral role in identifying and developing ways to resolve problems with the administrative and clinical staff on access, customer service, patient flow, revenue, and data validation issues.

His/her work also impacts processes, action plans, monitoring, and reporting.

The Advanced MSA works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model 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.

He/she must assist with clinical access contingency plans by adjusting appointment times, location, or dates as well as shift patients to other healthcare providers as conflict with staffing and/or coverage occurs.

Notifies his/her supervisor when clinic access is less than desirable or if an individual patient cannot be scheduled within mandated clinic timeframes.

Daily review of active/pending consults, RTC, VAOS, Open Encounters, run 30, 60, 90-day reports, and Audio care communications for accuracy and disposition.

Coordinates administrative services for veterans, family members, caregivers, and public, administrative, and clinical staff to ensure continuity of inpatient and outpatient care.

Incumbent must have the knowledge to assume the role of an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) within any clinical service overseen by the Health Administration Service (Primary Care, Surgical care, Specialty Care, Extended Care, as well as Lab and Radiology Services) during special projects or heavy workload, for leave, vacancies, or when the AMSA is detailed to fill-in other areas.

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.

Incumbent intervenes to resolve difficult problems and diffuses potential dissatisfaction with VA services to prevent congressional and adverse publicity.

Serves as technical advisor and liaison with contacts at all levels. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.

Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases 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) 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: Ad-hoc Available Virtual: This is not a virtual/remote position.

Functional Statement #: 52191-F