Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Full Job Description

The position serves as an Advanced Medical Support Assistant in the VA Medical Center in La Crosse, Wisconsin within Health Administration Services (HAS) department.

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, identifying basic eligibility, patient processing and customer service.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/04/2026 Basic Requirements: Citizenship: Must be a United States Citizen.

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: No experience required.

Education: High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.

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. IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE, YOU MUST MEET THE GRADE REQUIREMENTS AT THE GS-06 LEVEL TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION.

GS-6 LEVEL GRADE REQUIREMENTS: Specialized Experience: Must have one (1) year of experience that is directly related to the duties of a MSA and that equips you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position.

To be creditable, this experience must be equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-05, and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with current MSA responsibilities.

Experience at this level includes, but is not limited to: Advising clinical staff on current administrative processes.

Answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit, scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines.

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: KSA-1.

Ability to collaborate and communicate with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines to accomplish team goal setting to ensure medical care to patients is met. KSA-2.

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

Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively, electronically, by phone, in person, and in writing.

This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels, as well as resolving patient concerns. KSA-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.

KSA-5.

Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community operational activities that affect the patient flow, and patient support care to include, but not limited to appointment cycles, outside patient referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, provider availability, etc.

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

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-06.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. Physical demands do not exceed those of a typical office setting.

There may be some walking, standing twisting, turning, sitting, pushing, bending, repetitive keyboarding, or carrying of light items.

Some positions may require sitting for long periods of time at a computer terminal typing data while talking on a telephone headset. Major Duties:

Major duties: Recommends changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines.

Utilizes 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 make adjustments as necessary.

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.).

Screen/receive phone calls in a courteous and timely manner, determine the nature of requests and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processes.

Processes incoming patient secure messaging through MyHealtheVet 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.

Evaluates patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether the patient requires an immediate appointment.

Conducts patient/employee surveys, interviews, observes workflow; guides patients through hospital system, inputs referrals, documents complaints, and provides follow-up and suggests resolutions to supervisor.

Interpret and communicate requirements of VHA Scheduling Directives and complete accurate scheduling responsibilities.

Perform all other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Full time, Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm (The specific location for this position will be discussed during the interview process.) Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required