Lead Medical Support Assistant

This position is assigned to the Surgical Service and is located in the Mid-Atlantic Healthcare Network (VISN 6) at the Hunter Holmes McGuire Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Richmond. The Lead Advanced Medical Support Assistant coordinates administrative activities and responsibilities of the specialty­ specific Advanced Medical Support Assistants under their leadership. Incumbent will assist with performance improvement, performance measures, workload studies and program outcome data.

Major Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Leads a unit or team of employees performing at the GS-5 and GS-6 level. Provides guidance and technical direction to accomplish the work within the unit or team.
• Ensures the work assignments of employees in the unit are carried out.
• Works with Supervisor in the assignment of functions to team members in order to meet routine deadlines and priorities, resolve daily workplace issues and maintain efficient workflow.
• Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to; assuring coverage of all areas of the Surgical Service; conducting ongoing reviews to ensure quality of work; ensuring accurate and timely scheduling of appointments; monitoring adherence to facility processes and policies; providing guidance to staff members to include change in policies and procedures; distributing and balancing workload; orienting and providing on-the-job training for new and current employees.
• The employee will ensure all work is accomplished effectively in accordance with established policies in order to allow clinicians to concentrate on professional and clinical duties instead of on administrative tasks.
• Routine work is performed independently and in accordance with the overall objectives of Surgery Service.
• The incumbent will be responsible for collecting, compiling and/or tracking statistical information in support of the assigned surgical subspecialty.
• The incumbent will utilize knowledge of software programs and proficient computer skills to provide data/reports related to the administrative, clinical, and technical aspects of the program initiatives to the surgical team and, when appropriate, create spreadsheets related to the initiatives. He/she should have a working knowledge of CPRS and VISTA programs that includes clinic management and reporting systems.
  

Performs other duties as assigned.




Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 to 4:30 pm
Telework: Ad-Hoc only
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 00000
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.
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• 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 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.
• Licensure/Certification/Registration. None.

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:

Lead Medical Support Assistant, GS-07.

Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-06) level. This experience includes: providing 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.).

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to meeting the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
(a) Advanced knowledge of medical terminology and a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community.
(b) Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff.
(c) Ability to utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting.
(d) Ability to organize work, set priorities, and delegate tasks/responsibilities in order to meet deadlines.
(e) Ability to provide staff development and training.
(f) Ability to manage staffing requirements, manage workflow priorities, and adjust the flow of work to meet team and patient needs. This includes the ability to follow-up on pending issues and demonstrate an understanding of the impact of incomplete work across multiple clinics.


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-7.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, but may require some walking, bending, stooping, standing, stretching and carrying objects such as files/binders. Work also requires spending time performing keyboarding duties.

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.