Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Portland VA Health Care System is looking to fill many Advanced Medical Support Assistant positions at the main campus in Vancouver, WA VAMC. The list generated from this announcement can be used up to 90 days to fill any additional vacancies that may arise. Advanced Medical Support Assistants provide administrative support to our clinical colleagues in the care of our Nation's Veterans. Our mission is to provide efficient and effective healthcare services by promoting and enabling the delivery of timely, accurate, accessible health care. VA is committed to cultivating a dedicated workforce of highly skilled employees who understand, believe in and take pride in VA's mission. AMSAs are essential to the success of this mission and may be assigned to any areas (service lines) of the medical center that have a need. Duties will include but are not limited to :

• Determining health care eligibility for Veteran patients.
• Administrative processing of Veteran patients in enrollment, benefits, and registration.
• Counseling Veteran patients regarding entitlement enrollment for health care benefits and other special programs.
• Obtaining essential information and documentation from Veteran patients for enrollment activities.
• Performing scheduling functions for Veteran patients including appointments, cancellations, and re-scheduling.
• Facilitating communication between Veterans and other facility consult departments.
• Support of inpatient units and wards with administrative duties during day, evening, night, and weekend shifts.
• Processing and record keeping of inpatient medical records.
• Manual and electronic data entry.
• Collation of statistical information.
• Entry of Physician orders and consult requests.
• Prepares Veteran patient statistics.
• Providing reception to incoming and outgoing customers and communication.
• Utilizes Microsoft Office software to compile data and formulate reports

Work Schedule : Typical tour of duty is Monday-Friday 8am-4 : 30pm however shifts could include, Weekdays & Weekends, All Shifts to include Day, Evening, and Night.

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus) : Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance) : Not Authorized

Pay : Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications, or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

Paid Time Off : 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.

Parental Leave : After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Child Care Subsidy : After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.

Retirement : Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA

Insurance : Federal health / vision / dental / term life / long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Telework : Not Available Virtual : This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 000000

Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12 / 31 / 1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background / security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements.

Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. 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 3j

Specialized Experience : one year of specialized experience in an advanced or complex clinical setting utilizing numerous advanced patient care systems, scheduling appointments across multiple clinics and coordination of services among a diverse team of medical providers and clinics to include outside agencies, advanced knowledge of medical terminology, advanced knowledge of the technical health care processes, policy and procedures as it relates to coordination of care.

Candidates must demonstrate the KSAs below :

Reference : VA Handbook 5005 / 117, Medical Support Assistant Qualification Standard, GS-679. Published August 1, 2019

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS 6.

Physical Requirements : The work is mostly sedentary but may require periods of standing and walking. There are not any physical requirements for the 0679 series.

Education Education cannot be substituted for experience at the GS-06 grade level.

Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave : Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.