Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

The position is located at the Alexandria VA Health Care System (AVAHCS) and the incumbent is organizationally aligned under the Mental Health Residential and Rehabilitation Treatment Program (MHRRTP) within the Mental Health Product Line. The MSA (Advanced) is responsible for scheduling and consult monitoring for MHRRTP. The work involves treating a variety of conventional problems, questions, or situations in conformance with established criteria.

The Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) is responsible for coordinating assigned administrative duties and independently setting day to day priorities. He/she ensures work and reports are complete, accurate and timely, reviews output for correctness and completeness. The MSA interfaces with numerous computer applications including but not limited to CPRS, VSE, etc. The MSA performs these responsibilities with self-direction while functioning as a team member in the patient care delivery setting. The MSA will use advanced interpersonal skills to effectively understand patient's needs, assess choices, and take appropriate measures to ensure patient satisfaction. The MSA participates actively in the management of the MHRRTP (Mental Health Residential and Rehabilitation Treatment Program) by performing routine administrative and miscellaneous clerical work. Based on a working knowledge of the MHRRTP, the MSA resolves problems associated with the administrative and clerical work of the MHRRTP.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

• The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) demonstrates exceptional interpersonal communication skills and work collaboratively with AVAHCS programs, services, and multidisciplinary team members to provide access to care to meet both clinical and administrative needs of patients.
• Schedules patients for admission to MHRRTP using the appropriate systems including Bed Management System. Arranges post discharge appointments for patients in accordance with national policy.
• Accepts all telephone calls to the MHRRTP regarding program inquiries and utilizes "administrative" systems knowledge in
  assessing patient/caller needs, practices independent decision-making, coordinates care needs and direct problem resolution as appropriate.
• Applies knowledge of various software functions (e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint to manipulate and arrange data in documents with complicated formats such as graphics and tables). Understands advanced software capabilities sufficiently to utilize the more advanced function keys in a manner that increases productivity, (e.g. enters, sorts, calculates, retrieves, and revises data for documents).
• Coordinates appointments for patients enrolled in MHRRTP. Assists with coordination of transportation as needed.
• Assists with the requisition of office supplies, equipment maintenance, prepares and distributes meeting minutes, maintains electronic and paper files.
• Assists with a full range of administrative procedural work for the MHRRTP as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4pm
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year).
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Ad-Hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 00259F
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.
• 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.

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).

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.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.

In addition to the basic requirements for employment listed in above, the following education and experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:

(KSAs must be clearly reflected in the resume under description of duties in order to be found qualified for this position/grade level). Grade Determinations: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-06.

1. Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade. AND
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.

Preferred Experience:

1. Experience scheduling and coordinating care for patients with complex psychosocial needs, including coordinating among multiple providers (physicians, social workers, psychologists, addiction therapists);
2. Familiarity with the unique administrative needs of residential/inpatient programs, such as census tracking, admission/discharge/transfer (ADT) processing, and bed management;
3. Prior customer service or related experience in a healthcare or behavioral health environment

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.The full performance level of this vacancy is 06.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

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.
• 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 (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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• 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.