Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Advanced Medical Support Assistant

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) position provides clerical and administrative support to the patients and staff; this position is located in the VA Care in the Community Service in the West Palm Beach, Florida VA Medical Center. The Advanced Medical Support Assistant works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. The Advanced Medical Support Assistant reviews care with the facility service areas, non-VA community providers, and third-party administrator to review the eligibility by using various basic guidelines and policies, coordinate care to non-VA community providers through third-party administrators, and makes any necessary adjustments. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to:

• Serves as the administrative subject matter expert within the community care team.
• Provides administrative support and is an integral member of the community care team to effectively carry out daily administrative operation of the service.
• Develops and maintains effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary care team, community providers, third-party administrators, VA medical centers, and other agencies.
• Assists with communication during the inpatient to outpatient community care; communicates with non-VA medical facilities.
• Facilitates and processes secure messaging with the care team and third-party administrators; notifies patient of scheduled appointments in the community.
• Develops and manages a tracking systems for follow up care to include but is not limited to consult status and provide and receive medical records from community providers.
• Participates in team huddles and team meeting to manage and plan community care.
• Scheduling of new appointments will be scheduled within 14 days of create date of the appointment. If no availability to schedule within 90 days, clinical review by clinical care coordinator is required. Scheduling of established appointments will be based upon desire date not on availability.
• Educates community providers about VA Community Care Program, guidelines and policies.
• Assists with community care access contingency plans by adjusting appointment times, location, or dates as well as shift patients to other healthcare providers as conflict with patient and/or community providers occurs.
• Responsible for processing received medical records information into patient medical records from non-VA community providers.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8am - 4:30pm.

Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. 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. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. 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.

Qualifications 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 B3, Section A, paragraph 3.g.). 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 Education/Experience: Positions at this grade level are revised to two years above high school or some equivalent experience. Upload a copy of a school transcript. (Rev, February 5, 2026 /VA/OCHCO/RPPS). Grade Determinations: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-679-06 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. 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.. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must also 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.

References: VA Handbook 5005/117, Part II, Appendix G45, dated August 1, 2019. Medical Support Assistant Qualification Standard GS-0679. this can be found in the local Human Resources Office.

Creditable Experience: To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities or an equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as an MSA or an equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience or equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting at the next lower grade level. Part-time experience as an MSA or equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for this occupation, see duty section for essential duties of this position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting. stooping, bending, pulling and pushing.

Education Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ . If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/ .

Additional Information Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.