Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Veterans Health Administration • Martinsburg, WV

11d • Onsite

About The Position

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) serves in the Medical Administration Service at the Martinsburg Department of Veterans Affairs in Martinsburg, West Virginia. The role supports administrative and operational aspects of Veteran care delivery, including access management, appointment scheduling and coordination using advanced clinic access principles, patient processing, customer service, and data integrity. The AMSA supports staffing, training, compliance, quality assurance, and reporting requirements that affect patient flow, revenue, performance measures, and the facility’s public image. The position works independently and requires sound judgment in resolving administrative issues that influence patient care. The AMSA supports reception and daily patient processing across medical center modalities and services, including Primary Care, Mental Health, Diagnostic Service, Pain Management and Rehabilitation, Surgical Service, and Medical Service. The AMSA reports directly to the Supervisory Medical Support Assistant, Medical Administration Service (MAS), at the Martinsburg VA Medical Center.

The position is scheduled Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework is not available, and this is not a virtual position. Recruitment or relocation incentives and permanent change of station assistance are not authorized.

The AMSA serves as a primary administrative support resource for outpatient clinics, independently managing complex scheduling and access activities according to VHA and local policies. Duties include face-to-face and telephone reception, appointment coordination, handling calls and patient requests, updating records, reviewing consults and scheduling systems, coordinating care-related administrative services, and maintaining accurate medical and administrative records. The AMSA interprets and applies laws, regulations, directives, and policies governing VA health care benefits and administrative operations.

This is an Advanced Medical Support Assistant position at the GS-06 level. The full performance level is GS-6. Applicants must meet the stated education, experience, and knowledge, skills, and abilities criteria. A two-year trial period is required.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified U.S. citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or state or territorial proficiency certificate.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to GS-5, including independently performing a full range of duties related to health care delivery in an inpatient or outpatient setting.
• Experience advising clinical staff on administrative processes; answering phones; greeting patients; relaying messages; scheduling and canceling appointments; monitoring requests; and verifying demographic and insurance information.
• Advanced knowledge of technical health care processes related to access to care, including interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care-in-the-community models and patient health care portals.
• Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures for interdisciplinary coordinated care and/or care-in-the-community 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 accomplish team goals and ensure patient care needs are met.
• 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.
• Must meet applicable background and security investigation requirements and complete the online onboarding process.
• Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as a VA health care personnel employee.
• Must complete a two-year trial period, subject to continued-employment certification.
• Foreign education used to meet requirements must be evaluated as equivalent to U.S. education; foreign-education applicants must provide the required certificate of foreign equivalency and transcript.
• Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited institutions may be used to qualify.

Responsibilities

• Independently manage complex outpatient clinic scheduling and access activities in accordance with VHA and local policies, using Advanced Clinic Access principles.
• Perform receptionist duties in person and by telephone, including ACD/call room scheduling coverage, while providing courteous, timely, Veteran-centered service and protecting privacy and confidentiality.
• Screen incoming calls, determine the nature of requests, and provide accurate information or resolve requests using established clinic processes and privacy regulations.
• Coordinate, schedule, reschedule, and cancel appointments using approved VA scheduling applications; adjust appointment details and shift patients to alternate providers or clinics as needed to support continuity of care and access standards.
• Review active and pending consults, ICBWeb, VA Online Scheduling (VAOS), Open Slot Management (OSM), and Audiocare communications daily to ensure accuracy, appropriate disposition, and timely follow-up.
• Review end-of-day no-show and patient-cancellation reports and take appropriate action.
• Collect, verify, and update Veteran demographic, eligibility, and insurance information to support accurate billing, reporting, and revenue-cycle activities.
• Notify supervisors or clinic leadership when access is suboptimal or Veterans cannot be scheduled within required timeframes.
• Participate in daily team huddles and weekly team meetings focused on patient care planning and management, unless clinic coverage prevents attendance.
• Coordinate administrative services for Veterans, family members, caregivers, the public, and interdisciplinary staff to support continuity of inpatient and outpatient care.
• Ensure medical and administrative records are received, processed, and integrated into CPRS, including initiating scanning when required.
• Interpret and apply laws, regulations, directives, and policies governing VA health care benefits and administrative operations.
• Support staffing, training, compliance, quality assurance, reporting, patient processing, and continuous clinic operations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package available to eligible employees and their families.
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior federal employment or military service, subject to request and approval before appointment.

What This Job Offers

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