Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Overview

Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) Jobs in Kerrville, TX at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Title: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Company: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Location: Kerrville, TX

Summary

Coordinates complex patient access and administrative support across outpatient – inpatient – eligibility – and enrollment settings. Reviews clinic use – manages scheduling and wait lists – processes secure messaging – updates records – supports transfers and discharge follow-up – verifies eligibility – and resolves workflow issues while serving as a liaison among Veterans – families – care teams – VA facilities – and providers. Maintains confidentiality; supports timely – safe – patient-centered care.

Qualifications

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
• Grandfathering Provision: Employees in VHA in this occupation – under a permanent – appropriate – and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard – May 7 – 2026 – are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held – including positive education and registration/certification 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
• Physical Requirements
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 – Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C.
• 7403(f)
• Grade Determination: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) – GS-06
• Experience
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade – GS-05
• 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
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard – please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-06
• Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary
• Some work may require movement between offices – hospitals – warehouses – and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work
• Work may also require walking/standing – in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site
• Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds
• Creditable Experience
• To be creditable – the experience must have required the use of knowledge – skills – and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities or an equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting
• Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid or non-paid employment as an MSA or an equivalent position in a non-VA hospital or clinic setting
• Quality of Experience
• Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience or equivalent administrative clinical support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting at the next lower grade level of the position being filled
• For this assignment – the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope – administrative independence – complexity – and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• Part-Time Experience
• Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to a full-time workweek
• For example – an individual employed 20 hours per week – or on a half-time basis – would receive credit for 1 full-time workweek for each 2 weeks of service.

Duties

• Duties include – but are not limited to: Coordinate patient scheduling – cancellations – rescheduling – consults – and appointment tracking
• Serve as the main communication link among Veterans – families – care teams – VA facilities – non-VA providers – and clinical staff
• Review clinic utilization – monitor clinic setup – and adjust workflow to meet patient and team needs
• Support continuity of care through discharge coordination – follow-up care – transfers – and handoffs
• Enter – verify – and update electronic records – demographics – insurance – eligibility – and administrative documentation
• Manage electronic wait lists – validate accuracy – and monitor pre-appointment requirements
• Identify and help resolve scheduling – workflow – access – equipment – and procedural issues
• Process secure messaging – patient notifications – and normal lab-result communications
• Interpret eligibility requirements and support admissions – transfers – discharges – enrollment – and benefits access
• Protect sensitive information and comply with Privacy Act – HIPAA – VA – and VHA requirements
• Work Schedule: Monday -Friday – 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Available – ad-hoc only – in accordance with agency policies
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 53753-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized