Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Castle Point, NY

12d • Onsite

About The Position

The VA Hudson Valley Health Care System's Castle Point Campus is recruiting an Advanced Medical Support Assistant for an intermittent, above-full-performance-level position. The role provides specialized administrative support for health care services in inpatient and outpatient settings and works collaboratively with an interdisciplinary care team to support efficient clinic operations and continuity of patient care. The employee advises clinical staff on administrative processes and performs front-office duties. The position is intermittent: work is on an as-needed basis, with no guaranteed or prescheduled hours. The stated schedule is intermittent, with hours that may vary between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Telework and virtual work are not available. Rotational coverage may be assigned between the Montrose and Castle Point campuses.

The role requires the qualifications for Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-06, including one year of creditable experience equivalent to GS-05 and the specified knowledge, skills, and abilities. The basic education requirement is a high school diploma, GED, or state-issued proficiency certificate. No license or certification is required. Preferred experience includes strong customer service skills and proficiency with computer systems and software applications.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• High school diploma, GED, or proficiency certificate from a state or territorial Board or Department of Education.
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade for placement at GS-06.
• Advanced knowledge of technical health care processes related to access to care, including interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery, community care models, and patient health care portals.
• Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures for interdisciplinary coordinated care or community care operations affecting patient flow and administrative support, including appointment cycles, outside referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, and provider availability.
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology.
• Ability to collaborate and communicate with medical clinicians across multiple disciplines to support team goals and patient care.
• Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines while complying 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, including resolving patient concerns and preparing or presenting reports and data.
• Complete the required application steps and online assessment.
• Meet background and security investigation requirements and complete the online onboarding process.
• Meet identification requirements for pre-employment; beginning May 7, 2025, non-REAL ID-compliant driver's licenses or state-issued IDs are not acceptable for employment identification.
• Participate in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.
• Meet the physical requirements referenced in VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
• Foreign education used to qualify must be evaluated as equivalent to U.S. education by a recognized credential evaluation organization; the required foreign-equivalency certificate and transcript must be provided.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.

Nice To Haves

• Strong customer service skills.
• Proficiency with computer systems and software applications.

Responsibilities

• Independently perform duties related to delivering health care services in inpatient or outpatient settings.
• Advise clinical staff on current administrative processes.
• Answer phones, greet patients, and relay messages to appropriate staff inside or outside the unit.
• Schedule, cancel, and reschedule patient appointments and consults, including interpreting and verifying provider orders under VHA national scheduling guidelines.
• Enter no-show information and monitor appointment requests from multiple electronic sources.
• Participate in huddles with MSAs and clinic staff to determine daily clinic needs.
• Monitor inpatient and outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility.
• Verify and update patient demographic and insurance information at appointment check-in.
• Coordinate administrative functions for emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals.
• Determine appointment type based on patient eligibility status, including TRICARE, sharing agreements, collaterals, research patients, and VA employees.
• Assist with communications during inpatient-to-outpatient discharge.
• Communicate with non-VA medical facilities as needed.
• Facilitate and process secure messaging between patients and the care team.
• Notify patients of normal lab results.
• Develop and manage tracking systems for follow-up care, including consults and tests.
• Monitor pre-appointment requirements, such as X-rays and lab work, to ensure readiness for patient visits.
• Evaluate patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine vested status.
• Educate providers about shared patients receiving care at multiple VA facilities or in the community.
• Use multiple computer applications to perform job duties.
• Provide rotational coverage as assigned between the Montrose and Castle Point campuses.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; specific eligibility depends on position type, including intermittent status, and should be confirmed with the hiring agency.
• Eligible selected applicants may request credit for prior work or military service toward annual leave accrual; approval is not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED