Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Summary

The Advance Medical Support Assistant is part of the Health Administration Section (HAS) of the Business Office Service Line.These two positions are located one in the Ambulatory Treatment Unit (ATU) and one in the Ambulatory Procedure Unit at the VAMC in West Haven CT. The Department at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System (VACTHCS), West Haven CT. VA Connecticut Healthcare System is an integrated VA Healthcare System which serves a Veteran population, in Connecticut and Southern New England.

Duties

• The purpose of this position is to serve as an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (MSA) at a Medical Center in VISN 1 VA New England Healthcare System. The incumbent is responsible for a wide range of assignments and provides administrative support to the assigned section. Work is performed collaboratively in a Interdisciplinary Coordinate Care delivery model (Patient Aligned Care Team or Specialty Care Setting). Duties may include, but are not limited to: Supports clinics regarding clinic profile management. Collects and updates insurance information from Veterans, family members and other eligible patients. Prepares correspondence and memos as needed. Screens/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 processes. Ensures data is entered into VISTA accurately and scans documents into VISTA Imaging within 24 hours of entering the data into VISTA if applicable. Promotes Veterans registration for and utilization of MyHealthyVet (MHV) and kiosks usage. Follows procedures regarding Community Care referrals. Serves as the initial point of contact for units, clinics, patients, call centers, Care in the Community regarding various aspects of patient appointments and referrals. Stocks basic office supplies for the executive suite. Enters Veterans seeking emergent/urgent care, scheduling appointments accurately. Pre-Registers Veterans during check-in and utilizing call lists and telephones Veterans before their scheduled visits. Incumbent updates all patient demographics. Communicates and interacts with patients in a manner which is appropriate to cognitive, emotional, and chronological maturation needs of the adult and/or geriatric patient. Assures that all appropriate VA forms are used correctly and regulations followed. Additional duties or tasks may be assigned by the supervisor to ensure efficient daily operations. VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Work Schedule: Full-Time, 40 hours a week, Monday- Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm, EST. Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: FS-F01391. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. NOTIFICATIONS: This position is in the Excepted Service. Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees. No EDRP/SLRP. Salary Covered OPM LPS Pay Scale This Position is not covered by a Bargaining Union. Federal Employees MUST Submit Most Recent SF50 (within a year). Interchange Agreements with Other Merit System: Employees who occupy medical or medical-related positions and were appointed under 38 U.S.C. 4701(1) or (3) [formerly 38 U.S.C. 4104 (1) and (3)] must be serving in a full-time position without time limit and have served continuously for at least one year in the other merit system to be eligible to convert to the Title 5 System. Some exceptions to this rule may apply if you have previously acquired tenure under a Title 5 appointment.

Qualifications

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: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). Experience: None. Education: High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education. Licensure/Certification/Registration. None English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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 Determination: 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 annually. High level customer service skills as evidenced by daily interaction and communication with clinicians, patients, families and coworkers. Evidence of work in a clinic setting with multiple inputs (in person, telephone, instant message communications) that need timely and professional resolution. Evidence of specific computer scheduling programs or software utilized in a clinic or hospital. In 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 position, AND, Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Preferred Experience: Customer Service Skills, Adminstrative or Medical Office. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical 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 paper. Computers are used and therefore keyboarding is required. The work includes walking from area to area when covering other employees. Applicant may at times be exposed to stressful situations with Veterans. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Education

Substitution of Education: There is no educational substitution for the GS-06 level.

Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Grade: GS 6. . Apply by 2026-11-12 on USAJOBS.