Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

The Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) is in the VA Tele-Critical Care System. This position functions under the guidance of the Operations Nurse Manager/Assistant Nurse Manager. Tele-Critical Care (TCC) provides remote monitoring, consultation, and co-management of patients with critical illness in Intensive Care Units located in VHA and DOD. Services provided are 24 hours per day 7 days per week.

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

Duties include but are not limited to:

The TCC Model of care is based upon a spoke and hub concept; the hub is the TCC support center located either in Minneapolis or Cincinnati and the spokes are the monitored sites. TCC includes satellite support center sites across the nation staffed with clinical nurses, physicians, and other support staff to assist in providing high level critical care access to veterans across the nation. The incumbent performs duties related to administrative duties, works in collaboration with clinical staff in the support center by answering phones, some data collection and retrieval, working on multiple technical

The AMSA is responsible for receptionist duties, customer service, managing of supplies, and other duties assigned for proper timely treatment of patients. The employee will screen phone calls in a courteous and timely manner, determine the nature of the request and provide information using privacy rules established by the VA. Works on multiple technical platforms: Computerized Patient Record System(CPRS), Joint Legacy Viewer(JLV), Veterans Health Information and Technology Architecture (VISTA), e Care Manager, Cerner, Outlook, and Windows. In e Care Manager they will input admissions, enter patient data, update Discharge List, complete transfers, and changes in patient status. The employee will be able to pull up APACHE reports, build reports and some data entry. They will be able to use and navigate with the camera function in e Care Manager .The AMSA will participate in team huddles and staff meetings.

They will work in collaboration with TCC educator to provide and precept new A/MSA or MSA orientation. 25%-50% of time will be spent in core doing direct patient care, and 50%-75% of the time will be on administrative time.

Additionally, the incumbent will be responsible for the following specific duties below as applies to TCC:

• Utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting.
• Communicate tactfully and effectively, by phone, in person and in writing with internal (at varying grade levels) and external customers. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels, as well as resolving patient concerns.
• Identify customer's concerns, performs the task required to resolve the issue accurately and timely and follow- up as necessary to ensure a satisfactory resolution.
• Coordinate with other staff in trouble shooting equipment and technical issues
• Independently utilize reference sources, decision making and empowering the team to collaborate and resolve problems with a complex systems environment
• Ensure the availability of office supplies and uphold optimal workplace conditions.
• Manage and update resource materials, both digital and physical, to ensure they are accessible to all staff members. Train others and demonstrate the functionality of systems proficiently.
• Efficiently use computer equipment, including keyboard, mouse, multiple screens, and multiple computers simultaneously.
• Operate telephone systems effectively: placing and answering calls, managing hold, call parking, call transfers, and conducting conference calls. Solve problems and troubleshoot technical issues and make informed decisions and interpret data accurately.
• Organize tasks efficiently and communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.
• Handle emergencies and time-sensitive situations continuously.
• Sustain focus frequently and pay precise attention to details.
• Manage a hurried pace of work activities and multitask effectively.
• Perform under emotional stress, maintain composure, and handle situations requiring judgment and adaptation of operational policies and procedures.
• Negotiate, motivate, redirect, and convince others as needed.
• Make quick and accurate decisions, evaluate situations, and draw on experience and knowledge.

Work Schedule: Compressed tours Monday-Friday 06:30 a..m.-7:00 p.m.-6:30 p.m.-7:00 a.m. with occasional weekends and holidays
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is a virtual position.
Functional Statement #:91766VS
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

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. 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 the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
• NOTE: This provision is not intended to regularize appointments/ placements.
• f. 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.
• g. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.
• h. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

And,

Grade Determinations:
Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-06.
(1) Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
(2) Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
(a) 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.
(b) 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.
(c) Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.
(d) 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.
(e) Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.
(f) 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.

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).


Preferred Experience:

• Customer Service & Phone Etiquette
• VHA Experience Preferred
• Microsoft Teams Experience

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: Position requires visual acuity, adequate auditory perception, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. Position requires potentially extended periods of sitting. The position requires some bending and carrying of items. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations and able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must meet Employee Health mandates as a condition of employment.

If selected, to meet the basic requirement of high school education or equivalent and prior to a firm job offer being extended, applicants may be required to provide one of the following as verification of the education requirement if not covered under the grandfathering provision:

• Copy of high school diploma OR high school transcript (unofficial or official) OR GED Certificate OR homeschooling completion OR proficiency certificate issued by a State or Territorial Board or Department of Education OR college transcript (official)

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/.

• 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.