Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

The Advanced MSA coordinates with the patient care team to review the clinic utilization by using various reports (e.g., Clinic Utilization Statistical Summary), ensures that the clinic setup is closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinic, and makes any necessary adjustments. the position is located at the VA Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, NY.

Duties include but are not limited to:

1. Manage written and faxed correspondence, and paper medical records within teamlet (this could be a PACT Team, a team in a particular specialty etc...)/team and coordinate release of information in accordance with policy.
2. Verify and update demographics
3. Manage health insurance information, verifying third party insurance and updating information in the Insurance Capture Buffer (ICB) system.
4. Manage workload information, ensuring data captured according to Medical Center and HIMS established methodology using encounter system.
5. Assist staff in development, preparation and use of reports associated with group practice performance, workload and business practices to optimize overall clinic practice.
6. Coordinate information and actions related to patient care and ancillary services, manage scheduling package, and schedule appointments with Providers as recommended by Providers, clinical team members and integrated interdisciplinary team members in accordance with VHA national
scheduling guidelines, TMS training, Primary Care instruction and business rules.
7. Manage Recall Reminder system for assigned teamlet/team.
8. Manage assignment and inactivation of patients in Patient Centered Management Model (PCMM).
9. Perform telephone and face to face receptionist duties interacting with both internal and external customers and documents interactions in electronic medical record appropriately or VISTA/Microsoft Outlook using established processes.
10. Screen patients to obtain appropriate medical information, providing timely assistance within scope of practice and referring clinical concerns to appropriate team member.
11. Process emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals.
12. Perform basic eligibility, co-pays and preauthorization requirements for specific coverage (i.e., TRICARE, sharing agreements, etc.).
13. Recruit and assist with and/or enroll patients in My HealthEVet and Secure Messaging.


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


Work Schedule: 7:00 AM - 3:30 PM (4 days) and one (1) 10:00 AM - 6:30 PM tour a week with rotating days, weekends and holidays.
Telework: Not available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 21J84A

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.
• 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.
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Grandfathering Provision. A Medical Support Assistant (MSA) employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (February 5, 2026) is considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who meet the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, 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 re-entry to the occupation.

Grade Determinations: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-06.

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

Preferred Experience: Have knowledge/background in the Inpatient Wards Settings.

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-5. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-06.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

• 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.