Lead Medical Support Assistant

Lead Medical Support Assistant

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): Albany, New York

Salary Range: $54064 - $70284 Per Year

Job Summary: Incumbent will serve as a Lead Medical Support Assistant in the Clinic Practice Management Service and is responsible for daily workload assessments, assisting with clinic coverage, and determining training needs of MSAs to provide support across interdisciplinary settings. The Lead assists the unit with complex and non-standard procedures, including clinical flow processes related to access to care across multiple clinics, and/or community resources.

Major Duties:

• VA Careers - Lead Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/UJO_XH5uCLs Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties and Responsibilities: The Lead MSA monitors and makes work assignments, provides input on performance, resolves daily workplace issues and maintains efficient workflow. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: assuring coverage of all areas of responsibility; conducting ongoing reviews to ensure quality of work; ensuring accurate and timely scheduling of appointments; providing guidance to staff members to include changes in policies and procedures; distributing and balancing workload; orienting and providing on-the-job training for new and current employees; organizing the work structure of his/her assigned areas; and acting as liaison between MSA and staff in order to resolve day to day conflicts as related to maintaining efficient workflow. The incumbent's work impacts the administrative aspects of patient care, including access, scheduling/coordinating appointments using advanced clinic access principles, collecting and updating demographic and insurance information, managing the Electronic Waiting List (EWL), notifies panel changes to the PCMM Coordinator (as appropriate), patient processing and customer service. Incumbent is responsible for assuring that various aspects of staffing, training, compliance, reporting, quality assurance, and budgetary initiatives are met. The work is mostly sedentary and is performed in various outpatient clinic or office settings responsible for treating patients with a wide variety of medical problems. The performance of daily rounds to the assigned clinic areas is required. This may include frequent visits to off-site clinics to fill-in for or interact with the Clinic Practice Management employees and clinical/administrative staff in these areas. May be required to work staggered shifts and/or weekend clinics in support of Advanced Clinic Access initiatives. The Lead MSA is responsible for training new AMSA staff and other schedulers as required by VHA directives and will perform scheduling audits of AMSA and other scheduling staff. The incumbent will be required to provide retraining to AMSA and other scheduling staff based on the results of the audits. This may require coordination with Supervisors outside of the Clinic Practice Management Service for training/retraining of their scheduling staff. Incumbent intervenes to resolve difficult problems and diffuses potential dissatisfaction with VA services in order to prevent congressional and adverse publicity. Serves as technical advisor and liaison with contacts at all levels. Incumbent must completely understand and be able to explain complex regulations and eligibility criteria concerning Veterans' entitlements and VA benefits, priorities for care, access to care and advanced clinic access. Incumbent must maintain the ability to perform the varied and complex duties of the Advanced Medical Support Assistants in the Clinic Practice Management Service located in various clinical areas throughout the medical center, some of which are off-campus or on irregular tours. The work requires the ability to work in a busy environment, multi-task, lead, and organize a large group of staff in various work areas to produce results, ensure compliance, as well as process and follow-up on a very high volume of phone calls or written requests from patients inquiring about appointments or their status on the waiting list. The work requires a high degree of judgment, fact-finding, and coordination with people at various levels (patients and management). Additional duties or tasks may be assigned by the supervisor to ensure efficient daily operations. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 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) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. 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 Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 21250-A

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 Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. Experience: Experience. Six months experience of clerical, office, customer service, or other administrative work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position. OR, Education: One year above high school. OR, Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable. Certification: None required. Grandfathering Provision: All MSAs employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, which are a part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees may be reassigned, promoted, or changed to a lower grade within the occupation. 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. If an employee who was converted to Title 38 hybrid status under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. English Language Proficiency: MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English Grade Determinations: 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. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity difficulty, and a range of varieties 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 as an MSA or equivalent administrative patient support in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, an MSA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive one full-time workweek of credit for each two weeks of service. Lead Medical Support Assistant, GS-7 Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level. Assignment: The Lead MSA is responsible for the coordination of Advanced MSA assignments and workflow found in an interdisciplinary unit. The Lead MSA is responsible for daily workload assessments, assigning work, and assuring proper staffing coverage; evaluating training records; and determining training needs of MSAs to provide support across interdisciplinary settings. The Lead 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. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: ensuring accurate and timely scheduling of appointments; providing guidance to staff members, to include changes in policies and procedures; creating and maintaining employee work schedules; and acting as a liaison among Advanced MSA staff, patients, and other interdisciplinary staff to resolve day-to-day conflicts. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity difficulty 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 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 resources. 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. Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect [and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff. 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. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/117 PART II APPENDIX G45 II-G45-11 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-5. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the GS-7. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

How to Apply: All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 05/06/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12947558. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

Application Deadline: 2026-05-06