Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. This announcement is opened to current, permanent Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center employees, and Public (U. S. Citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified applicants).

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Applies VHA scheduling directives and clinic capacity policies to accurately schedule, reschedule, and coordinate appointments with patient input (in person/phone).
• Manages consults, electronic wait lists (EWL), recalls, administrative transfers, and MyHealtheVet messages; review active/pending consults daily.
• Monitor access; notify supervisor when access falls below standards or mandated timeframes cannot be met, and implement contingency plans (adjust times/locations, shift patients).
• Verifies enrollment and eligibility; explain VA's mandate to collect insurance information; collect, scan, and update insurance data to support the Medical Care Cost Recovery Program.
• Identify third-party insurance coverage; promote patient registration and use of MyHealtheVet (MHV); train others on the Insurance Capture Buffer (ICB) process as needed.
• Provides information on beneficiary travel and coordinate with Health Benefits Advisor/Member Services for eligibility and means testing.
• Safeguards confidentiality in accordance with the Privacy Act, HIPAA, FOIA, and 38 U.S.C. §?7332 (drug/alcohol, Sickle Cell, HIV records).
• Upholds VA regulations, Systems Redesign principles, Medical Center memoranda, and standard operating procedures; adhere to federal privacy standards and ethical conduct at all times.
• Maintains readiness for Joint Commission inquiries (patients' rights, emergency preparedness, information security, environment of care); identify surveyors and respond appropriately.
• Demonstrates technical competency in VistA and CPRS; train staff on core scheduling and documentation workflows.
• Utilizes imaging applications, PC Fax, and related VistA tools; ensure clinical/administrative documents are integrated into CPRS (perform/coordinate scanning).
• Enters, corrects, and retrieves data in established automated systems; compile data from prescribed sources to verify and locate information.
• Participates fully in daily teamlet huddles and weekly team meetings for care planning and management; set priorities and deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Provides administrative support across Primary Care and specialty areas to physicians, PAs, nurses, APRNs, dietitians, social workers, and administrative staff.
• Coordinates diagnostic testing and consultative appointments across services; interact effectively with VA/non-VA specialists, hospitals, and community programs.
• Serves as front-line contact; demonstrate tact, diplomacy, compassion, and sensitivity when assisting Veterans and families in person and by phone.
• Validates and updates demographics during every interaction to reduce returned mail and unsuccessful contact attempts; ensure two-identifier verification (name and SSN or VHIC).
• Screens and routes calls courteously and timely; provide information consistent with privacy rules and clinic processes.
• Supports VHA network performance measures (Revenue, Customer Service, Access to Care, Quality); complete and adhere to annual VHA training requirements.
• Applies quality assurance/performance improvement principles; conduct process checks/studies as required; contribute to Systems Redesign projects.
• Orients clinical staff to basic administrative policies/procedures for outpatient scheduling and related topics; assist in training other MSA levels.

Work Schedule: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Work schedule subject to change based on agency needs.
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 52880F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• 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.
• 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.

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: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• 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.
• Grandfathering Provision. Grandfathering Provision. Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and registration/certification where applicable. For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment-specific requirements in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:
  • (1) 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.
  • (2) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet 5 the full VA qualification standard.
• Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

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 Determinations (GS-6): In addition to the basic requirements for employment, candidates must meet the following grade-determining criteria for placement at the GS-6 grade level.

• Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• 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.
• 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.

Assignment. For all assignments above the FPL, the higher-level duties must be of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity, 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. At the advanced level, the Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) (AMSA) performs difficult and responsible 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. Recommend 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 MyHealthyVet 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).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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)

Résumé. Your resume you must describe your job-related qualifications in detail that include beginning and ending dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2009) for paid and non-paid work experience, hours worked per week, month and year of employment for each job title listed. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your work experience in detail. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.

Next steps