Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Full Job Description

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) serves as an administrative support member of the Caregiver Support Program (CSP), which provides services to caregivers of Veterans enrolled in VA Healthcare at the Iowa City VA Medical Center.

The AMSA supports program operations by coordinating administrative processes, managing data, and facilitating communication between caregivers, Veterans, and interdisciplinary team members.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Citizenship. Citizen of the United States.

(Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.g.). 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. Grandfathering Provision.

All MSAs employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard (8/1/2019) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, which are a part of the basic requirements of the occupation.

For 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: Such employees may be reassigned, promoted, or changed to a lower grade within the occupation.

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.

If an employee who 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 occupation.

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.

Grade Determinations Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-6 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.

Examples of qualifying experience: Independently performs a full range of MSA duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting.

Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes.

Answers phones, greets patients, relays messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit, schedules appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines.

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

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.

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

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. iv.

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.

v.

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.

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

Preferred Qualifications: Exceptional customer service skills in verbal and written form, preferably within a healthcare setting.

Experience with Microsoft Office products and applications such as Word, Excel, and Teams. Adaptability to learn new tools and tasks as assigned.

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 GS-6. Major Duties:

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Functions or Scope of Assigned Duties: Serves as the initial point of contact for inquiries related to the Caregiver Support Program (CSP), providing accurate information and appropriately routing complex issues to designated staff.

Coordinates scheduling of appointments, consultations, and follow-up visits for Veterans and caregivers in compliance with Veterans Health Administration (VHA) guidelines.

Utilizes VA systems (e.g., VistA, CPRS, CARMA) to enter, update, and retrieve patient and caregiver data; monitors consults and program applications to ensure timely processing.

Tracks and reports program activities, including caregiver engagement, referrals, and resource utilization; assists with data collection and preparation of reports for program evaluation and leadership review.

Reviews incoming data for accuracy and completeness, performs basic analyses, and compiles reports for CSP leadership and Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) offices.

Prepares and manages documentation, including correspondence, meeting materials, and operational records, scans and uploads documents into CARMA and other VA systems.

Maintains program resources, such as manuals, directives, and reference lists; ensures adherence to VA policies and procedures.

Responds to telephone calls and secure messages, triaging requests, prioritizing urgent needs, and independently resolving routine issues.

Coordinates logistics for meetings, trainings, and caregiver events, including preparation of agendas and distribution of materials.

Assists with financial tracking, including monitoring program expenses and preparing related reports for CSP leadership.

Provides timekeeping support, serving in both primary and backup roles to ensure accurate and timely reporting.

Performs additional administrative duties as assigned to support the Caregiver Support Program team and organizational objectives.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm or 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Not available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized