Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): Cleveland, Ohio

Salary Range: $47414 - $61638 Per Year

Job Summary: The VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System is recruiting for Medical Support Assistants (Advanced). The Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) will function in Patient Care Administrative Service (PCAS), Ambulatory Care & Processing (AC&P).

Major Duties:

• Duties of this position include but are not limited to: Schedules patient appointments. Coordinates with the patient care team to review the clinic utilization by using various reports (e.g., Clinic Utilization Statistical Summary), ensure that the clinic setup is closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinic, and provides the necessary recommendations to ensure compliance or corrective actions and the appropriate level of access. Maintains effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary team, VA Medical Centers, and other agencies (e.g., assist with communications during the inpatient to outpatient discharge. Communicates with non-VA medical facilities; facilitates/processes secure messaging with the patient and team; notifies patients of appointments. Manages a tracking system for follow up care such as Return to Clinic Orders, Recall, consults, tests, etc.). Participates in team huddles and team meetings to manage and plan patient care. Sets priorities and deadlines, adjusts the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs. Works with the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions and enters appropriate information into the electronic record. Monitors pre-appointment requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure (e.g., X-ray, lab work); manages electronic wait list to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues. Participates and provides input in problem solving on operational issues or procedures in team meetings, performs administrative follow up actions. Participates in and independently follows up on team huddles by sharing information and collaborating with the medical team to assure continuity of care; evaluates patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether patient is vested. Educates providers about shared patients (those who receive their care at multiple VAs or those who have care in the community) and bringing to the attention of the provider. Plans and organizes work with general assistance from the supervisor as to meet local and VA-wide time frames to complete analysis requirements, reports and special assignments and only refers to the non-routine and high technical problems to his/her supervisor. Reports backlogs, difficulties in meeting deadlines, uncooperative physicians, or difficulty in securing information from clinicians or the record. Maintains the confidentiality of information obtained to carry out required duties. Routinely communicates with physicians, case managers, and other allied health professional staff using sound interpersonal skills and is constantly aware of the sensitive information. Works independently making decisions based on guidelines, precedents and regulations and performs duties in such a manner that only minimal supervision is required. Work Schedule: 11:30 am - 8 pm, Monday to Friday with Rotating Weekends & Holidays Telework: Not available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #:91463A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

Qualifications: In order to qualify for this position, you must meet the requirements below within 30 calendar days of the closing date listed on the announcement. 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. Education: Successful completion of a high school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial level Board or Department of Education. Grandfathering Provision: 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). 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. Grade Determinations:GS-06: Candidates at this grade must have one year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. Examples of this experience include, but are not limited to: operating computerized programs and systems in order to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient identifying information (PII) into or from electronic health records, scheduling systems, and/or reports; knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients; scheduling medical appointments in a clinical setting; working independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work; communicating effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone, with internal and external customers; and providing customer service and identifying customer concerns and referring to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution. In addition to the basic qualifications, applicants must also demonstrate ALL of the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 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 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 clinic. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

How to Apply: Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online questionnaire and submission of the required documentation specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. To preview the application questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12956232. The application process is as follows: To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date, 05/18/2026. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. NOTE: Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. Areas of Consideration - Applicants will be considered based on the following areas of consideration. First Area of Consideration (Facility Employees) - Current, permanent VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System employees (this includes Outpatient Clinics, permanent employees of the Veteran Canteen Service assigned to this facility, Office of Information & Technology employees assigned to this facility. Second Area of Consideration (Other VA Employees) - Current, permanent Department of Veterans Affairs Employees (VA employees who are located at other VA medical centers). Third Area of Consideration - Current, permanent employees of other Federal agencies. Fourth Area of Consideration - United States Citizens

Application Deadline: 2026-05-18