Lead Medical Support Assistant (Primary Care)

Serves as a Lead Medical Support Assistant (MSA) responsible for the coordination of MSA assignments and workflow in an interdisciplinary unit. Provides guidance to staff, ensures accurate and timely scheduling, and acts as a liaison among Advanced MSA staff, patients, and interdisciplinary team members to resolve day-to-day conflicts.

Duties

The Lead Medical Support Assistant (MSA) serves in an interdisciplinary unit at the VA Medical Center (VAMC), with duties that may be performed in a Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), inpatient setting, Call Center, Outpatient Clinic, Enrollment Office, Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT), or Specialty Care setting. Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Workflow & Staffing Coordination

• Responsible for daily workload assessments, assigning work, and assuring proper staffing coverage across interdisciplinary settings.
• Creates and maintains employee work schedules.
• Assists the unit with complex and non-standard procedures, including clinical flow processes related to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community resources.

Scheduling & Administrative Support

• Ensures accurate and timely scheduling of appointments.
• Acts as a liaison among Advanced MSA staff, patients, and other interdisciplinary staff to resolve day-to-day conflicts.
• Provides guidance to staff members on changes in policies and procedures.

Training & Development

• Evaluates training records and determines training needs of MSAs to provide support across interdisciplinary settings.

Additional Information

• Higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity, and range of variety as described at the specified grade level and must be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.
• Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:00pm
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
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. MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.

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.

1. Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
2. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to meeting the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
   • 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.
   • Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff.
   • Ability to utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting.
   • Ability to organize work, set priorities, and delegate tasks/responsibilities in order to meet deadlines.
   • Ability to provide staff development and training.
   • 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.

Preferred Experience: 1-2 year MSA 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 07.

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.