Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Veterans Health Administration • Beaumont, TX

9d • Onsite

About The Position

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated delivery model with the Clinical Contact Center, Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) Primary and Specialty Care clinics, Mental Health, Surgery, and other professional staff to provide access to care at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, Texas, and Community Based Outpatient Clinics. The announcement may be used to fill positions in any department and may be used for full-time, part-time, or intermittent vacancies. It is an open continuous announcement through no later than September 30, 2027; qualified applicants may be considered and referred as vacancies become available, and the announcement may close earlier if an adequate applicant pool is obtained.

Work schedules vary by vacancy, and tours of duty may change based on facility needs. Telework is not available, and this is not a virtual position. Work is performed in an office or clinic setting with minimal risks and normal safety precautions, in an adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated area. The role may involve handling several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations. Physical aspects are typical for the occupation and may include standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. Personal protective equipment and annual TB screening or testing may be required.

The position requires U.S. citizenship, proficiency in written and spoken English, a background/security investigation, completion of an online assessment and onboarding process, and a pre-employment physical evaluation. Selectees must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program and serve a one- or two-year trial period. The position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

Requirements

• High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• U.S. citizenship, except where non-citizens may be appointed under applicable VA policy when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• For the GS-06 grade, one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-05 level, including relevant medical support administrative work.
• Advanced knowledge of technical healthcare processes related to access to care, including interdisciplinary coordinated care models and patient healthcare portals.
• Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures 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 by electronic means, phone, in person, and in writing with internal and external customers; this may include preparing reports, presenting data, and resolving patient concerns.
• Complete the required application steps, questionnaire, online assessment, onboarding process, background/security investigation, and pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Register for Selective Service if applicable to males born after December 31, 1959.
• Participate in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period.

Nice To Haves

• Experience coordinating administrative functions for emergency and non-emergency transfers to VA facilities or private hospitals.
• Experience determining appointment types based on patient eligibility status, such as TRICARE, sharing agreements, collaterals, research patients, or VA employees.
• Current VHA employees in this occupation who meet the criteria may qualify under the Grandfathering Provision.

Responsibilities

• Schedule, cancel, and reschedule appointments in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines.
• Verify and update patient demographic and insurance information, including capturing and verifying third-party insurance in the Insurance Capture (ICB) system.
• Retrieve and respond to data generated by the Audio Care system.
• Make outbound calls in response to Veterans' requests to reschedule canceled appointments.
• Participate in multidisciplinary program meetings, including LEAN groups, Performance Improvement Projects, and Telecare work groups or focus groups.
• Answer calls courteously and promptly, determine the nature of requests, address patient needs, and follow privacy rules and clinic processes.
• Promote Veteran registration and use of My HealtheVet by managing messages and authenticating Veterans.
• Track and report encounters in VistA to the Supervisor or Nurse Manager.
• Use advanced software functions to manipulate and organize data in complex documents, including graphics and tables, and improve productivity.
• Participate in clinic huddles with PACT, BHIP, and other teams to coordinate access and healthcare for Veterans.
• Schedule and remove new patients from the Electronic Wait List and New Enrollee Appointment Report.
• Schedule appointments through consults, return-to-clinic (RTC), patient requests, provider requests, transfer orders, and other modalities authorized by national and local policies.
• Coordinate administrative functions related to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals.
• Determine appointment type based on patient eligibility status.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid Federal holidays; amounts differ for employees working less than full-time.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to family income and other eligibility criteria.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED