Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Veterans Health Administration • Reno, NV

13d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (MSA) serves in Health Administration Service at the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System in Reno, Nevada. The position handles the receipt, intake, and indexing of health and administrative information and uses personal computer and VistA applications. The MSA works collaboratively within an interdisciplinary, patient-aligned care team, coordinating clinic utilization and patient care activities. Higher-level duties involve significant scope, administrative independence, complexity, and variety, and must be performed at least 25% of the time. The employee plans and organizes work with general supervisory assistance, handles routine decisions independently using guidelines and regulations, and refers non-routine or highly technical problems to a supervisor. The role requires maintaining confidentiality and communicating sensitively with physicians, case managers, and other allied health professionals. The position is primarily sedentary. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, with the tour of duty varying according to agency needs. Ad-hoc telework is available; this is not a virtual position. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized. A financial disclosure report is not required.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• One year of specialized experience at the next lower grade level (GS-05) for the GS-06 position.
• Experience demonstrating knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with current MSA responsibilities or equivalent administrative patient support in a non-VA inpatient or outpatient medical setting.
• Ability to collaborate and communicate with clinicians across multiple medical disciplines to support team goals and patient care.
• Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines while complying with processes, policies, and regulations.
• Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively with internal and external customers electronically, by phone, in person, and in writing; this may include preparing reports, presenting data, and resolving patient concerns.
• Advanced knowledge of technical healthcare processes, including scheduling in interdisciplinary coordinated care or community care models and patient healthcare portals as they relate to access to care.
• Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures affecting patient flow and administrative support functions, including appointment cycles, outside referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, and provider availability.
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology.
• Must meet all qualification requirements by the announcement closing date of 11/13/2026.
• May be required to serve a probationary period and undergo a background/security investigation.
• Must complete the online onboarding process if selected.
• Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program; VHA personnel vaccination requirements for COVID-19 apply, subject to legally required accommodations.
• Must be registered with Selective Service if male and born after 12/31/1959.
• No education substitution is available at this grade level.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain effective communication with patients, the interdisciplinary team, VA medical centers, and other agencies.
• Assist with communications during inpatient-to-outpatient discharge and communicate with non-VA medical facilities.
• Facilitate and process secure messaging between patients and the care team, and notify patients of normal laboratory results.
• Develop and manage tracking systems for follow-up care, including consultations and tests.
• Participate in team huddles and meetings to manage and plan patient care, and independently follow up by sharing information and collaborating to ensure continuity of care.
• Schedule patient appointments and set priorities and deadlines, adjusting work flow and sequencing to meet team and patient needs.
• Work with the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions and enter appropriate information into the electronic record.
• Monitor pre-appointment requirements to ensure readiness for visits or procedures, including required X-rays and laboratory work.
• Manage the electronic wait list, verify and validate its accuracy, and resolve issues.
• Provide input on operational problems and procedures during team meetings and perform administrative follow-up actions.
• Evaluate patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether patients are vested.
• Educate providers about shared patients receiving care at multiple VA facilities or in the community, and bring relevant information to providers' attention.
• Plan and organize work to meet local and VA-wide time frames for analyses, reports, and special assignments; refer non-routine and highly technical problems to a supervisor.
• Report backlogs, deadline difficulties, uncooperative physicians, and difficulty obtaining information from clinicians or records.
• Maintain confidentiality of information obtained while performing assigned duties.
• Communicate routinely and tactfully with physicians, case managers, and other allied health professionals.
• Perform other duties as assigned by management.

Benefits

• Federal employees earn annual leave at a rate of 4, 6, or 8 hours per pay period based on years of federal service.
• Selected applicants may request prior work or military service credit toward annual leave accrual; approval is required and not guaranteed.
• A comprehensive federal employee benefits package is available, with eligibility depending on position type.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed