Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Summary This Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) position is within the Community Care service at the VA Providence Healthcare System - located in Providence - Rhode Island. It is a permanent and full-time position at 40 hours per week. 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 PolicyEnglish Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d)Education: High school diploma - General Education Development equivalency certificate - or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of EducationPhysical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirementsSee VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirementsGrandfathering Provision: All Medical Support Assistants (MSAs) employed in Veterans Health Administration (VHA) in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard (February 20 - 2026) 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 occupationFor 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:(1) Such employees may be reassigned - promoted - or changed to a lower grade within the occupation.(2) 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.(3) 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 occupationGrade Determination: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) GS-06:In addition to the Basic Requirements listed above - the following education and experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidatesExperience: One (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in Federal service (GS-05)And Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSA): In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of 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 careAdvanced 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 - etcAdvanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by cliniciansAbility 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 metAbility to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines - ensuring compliance with established processes - policies - and regulationsAbility to communicate tactfully and effectively - electronically - by phone - in person - and in writing - with internal and external customersThis may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels - as well as resolving patient concernsDocumentation Requirements for Proof of High School Completion or Higher: If selected - to meet the basic requirement of high school education or equivalent and prior to a firm job offer being extended - applicants must provide one of the following as verification of the education requirement if not covered under the grandfathering provision: Copy of high school diploma OR high school transcript (unofficial or official) OR GED Certificate OR homeschooling completion OR proficiency certificate issued by a State or Territorial Board or Department of Education OR college transcript (official) 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-06. Duties VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo The incumbent is responsible for a wide range of assignments and provides administrative support to the assigned sectionWork is performed collaboratively in a Interdisciplinary Coordinate Care delivery model (Patient Aligned Care Team or Specialty Care Setting)Duties include - but are not limited to: Supports clinics regarding clinic profile managementCollects and updates insurance information from Veterans - family members and other eligible patientsPrepares correspondence and memos as neededScreens/receives phone calls in a courteous and timely manner - determine the nature of request and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processesEnsures data is entered into VISTA accurately and scans documents into VISTA Imaging within 24 hours of entering the data into VISTA if applicablePromotes Veterans registration for and utilization of MyHealthyVet (MHV) and kiosks usageFollows procedures regarding Community Care referralsServes as the initial point of contact for units - clinics - patients - call centers - Care in the Community regarding various aspects of patient appointments and referralsStocks basic office supplies for the executive suiteEnters Veterans seeking emergent/urgent care - scheduling appointments accuratelyPre-Registers Veterans during check-in and utilizing call lists and telephones Veterans before their scheduled visitsIncumbent updates all patient demographicsCommunicates and interacts with patients in a manner which is appropriate to cognitive - emotional and chronological maturation needs of the adult and/or geriatric patientAssures that all appropriate VA forms are used correctly and regulations followedand Performs additional duties or tasks as assigned by the supervisor to ensure efficient daily operationsWork Schedule: Monday-Friday - 7:30am to 4:00pm Compressed/Flexible: Not availableTelework: May be authorized at the supervisor's discretion on an ad-hoc basis only Virtual: This is not a virtual positionFunctional Statement #: Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorizedPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorizedNotifications: Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 - (Notice of Personnel Action)The SF-50 must identify the position title - series - grade - step - tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted)In some cases - more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously heldThis position is a LIUNA Bargaining Unit positionVeterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employeesThis position is covered by a special rateNarrative responses to the knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.