Advanced Medical Support Assistant
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Kingman, AZ, United States
Summary
The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) serves as a Clinical Clerk and is a foundational role within the VHA Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) initiative, supporting interdisciplinary clinics, call centers, and Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs).
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 Policy
English Language Proficiency
MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Chapter 3 - Section A - paragraph 3.j
High school diploma, GED, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education
May qualify based on the Grandfathering Provision described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
Grade Determinations: GS-6: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-5)
Experience includes interacting with both internal and external customers; establishing and maintaining medical outpatient and inpatient charts and administrative records; verifying and updating demographics and insurance information; obtaining medical information from patients; coordinating information and actions related to patient care and services; scheduling appointments in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) below:
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Ability 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 and ensure medical care to patients is met.
Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance 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; prepare reports in various formats and present data to various organizational levels; resolve patient concerns.
Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process (including scheduling across interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery, community models, and patient health care portals) as it relates to access to care.
Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community operational activities that affect patient flow and support care administrative functions (e.g., appointment cycles, outside patient referrals, follow‑up care, overbooking, provider availability).
Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.
Assignment / Duties
Provide specialized and expert administrative patient support within an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.
Use advanced patient systems to support multiple clinics involved in the model.
Coordinate with the patient care team to review clinic appointment availability, ensuring schedules are monitored and adjustments are made as necessary.
Assist with communications during inpatient to outpatient discharge, communicate with non‑VA medical facilities, prepare correspondence to notify patients of normal lab results.
Manage a system for follow‑up care such as consults, tests, and secure messaging through MyHealthyVet, coordinating with the care team as appropriate.
Participate in team huddles and team meetings to manage, plan, problem‑solve and follow‑up with patient care by sharing information and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team.
Set priorities and deadlines, adjust the flow and sequencing of work to meet team and patient needs.
Identify incomplete encounters and communicate findings to providers as needed.
Assist the team to reinforce the plan of care and self‑help solutions; enter appropriate information into the electronic record.
Monitor pre‑appointment information and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure.
Manage patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues.
Evaluate patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether the patient requires an immediate appointment.
Inform team members about shared patients (i.e., those who receive their care at multiple VA centers or in the community).
Benefits
Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, 7:30 am – 4:00 pm
Paid Time Off: 37–50 days of annual paid time (including 13–26 days annual leave, 13 days sick leave, 11 paid federal holidays).
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment—up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment—eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of eligible costs for employees with total family income below $144,000.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting); federal 401(k) with up to 5% contributions by VA.
Insurance: Federal health, vision, dental, term life, long‑term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement).
Physical Requirements
Moderate lifting—15–44 pounds
Light carrying—under 15 pounds
Reaching above shoulder
Use of fingers
Walking up to 1 hour
Hearing (aid permitted)
May work alone and/or with others.
Reference
VA Qualification Standard for this occupation: https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
#J-18808-Ljbffr
The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) serves as a Clinical Clerk and is a foundational role within the VHA Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) initiative, supporting interdisciplinary clinics, call centers, and Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs).
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 Policy
English Language Proficiency
MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Chapter 3 - Section A - paragraph 3.j
High school diploma, GED, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education
May qualify based on the Grandfathering Provision described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
Grade Determinations: GS-6: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-5)
Experience includes interacting with both internal and external customers; establishing and maintaining medical outpatient and inpatient charts and administrative records; verifying and updating demographics and insurance information; obtaining medical information from patients; coordinating information and actions related to patient care and services; scheduling appointments in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) below:
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Ability 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 and ensure medical care to patients is met.
Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance 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; prepare reports in various formats and present data to various organizational levels; resolve patient concerns.
Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process (including scheduling across interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery, community models, and patient health care portals) as it relates to access to care.
Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community operational activities that affect patient flow and support care administrative functions (e.g., appointment cycles, outside patient referrals, follow‑up care, overbooking, provider availability).
Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.
Assignment / Duties
Provide specialized and expert administrative patient support within an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.
Use advanced patient systems to support multiple clinics involved in the model.
Coordinate with the patient care team to review clinic appointment availability, ensuring schedules are monitored and adjustments are made as necessary.
Assist with communications during inpatient to outpatient discharge, communicate with non‑VA medical facilities, prepare correspondence to notify patients of normal lab results.
Manage a system for follow‑up care such as consults, tests, and secure messaging through MyHealthyVet, coordinating with the care team as appropriate.
Participate in team huddles and team meetings to manage, plan, problem‑solve and follow‑up with patient care by sharing information and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team.
Set priorities and deadlines, adjust the flow and sequencing of work to meet team and patient needs.
Identify incomplete encounters and communicate findings to providers as needed.
Assist the team to reinforce the plan of care and self‑help solutions; enter appropriate information into the electronic record.
Monitor pre‑appointment information and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure.
Manage patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues.
Evaluate patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether the patient requires an immediate appointment.
Inform team members about shared patients (i.e., those who receive their care at multiple VA centers or in the community).
Benefits
Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, 7:30 am – 4:00 pm
Paid Time Off: 37–50 days of annual paid time (including 13–26 days annual leave, 13 days sick leave, 11 paid federal holidays).
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment—up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment—eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of eligible costs for employees with total family income below $144,000.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting); federal 401(k) with up to 5% contributions by VA.
Insurance: Federal health, vision, dental, term life, long‑term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement).
Physical Requirements
Moderate lifting—15–44 pounds
Light carrying—under 15 pounds
Reaching above shoulder
Use of fingers
Walking up to 1 hour
Hearing (aid permitted)
May work alone and/or with others.
Reference
VA Qualification Standard for this occupation: https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
#J-18808-Ljbffr