Lead Medical Support Assistant
What you'd do
The Lead Medical Support Assistant serves in the VA Care in the Community (CITC) Department at the Nebraska-Western Iowa Healthcare System, Omaha, Nebraska. The Lead MSA provides expertise, guidance and direction and has responsibilities related to providing administrative support, coordination, and technical assistance in the planning, development, and maintenance of an effective, comprehensive and integrated Community Care Program at this Medical Center.
Major duties
VA Careers - Lead Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/UJO_XH5uCLs Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The LMSA within CITC will assist in planning and development of necessary procedures, schedules, and activities to ensure compliance with department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Central Office Directives. The incumbent is skilled in project management, time management and process improvement, which includes the ability to develop new or improved solutions to complex technical problems. They work closely with all of Community Care's leadership and/or designee to ensure standardized practices are being followed. They are responsible for the assigned workload within the section and assistance with coverage for employee work schedules. The incumbent monitors the progress of work and makes adjustments on a priority basis to ensure timeliness measures are met. The incumbent reports to the supervisor on employee performance, process errors, training needs, and disciplinary issues. Major duties include (but not limited to): Managing consult services assigned per guidelines Participating in team huddles and team meetings to manage and plan patient care. Setting priorities and deadlines, adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs. Create authorizations for episodes of care prior to care being received. Schedule appointments, per the scheduling policy, accurately and in a timely manner. Participating in and providing input in problem solving on operational issues or procedures in team meetings. Performing administrative follow up actions. Independently following up on team huddles by sharing information and collaborating with the medical team to assure continuity of care. Collaborate, communicate, set priorities, and organize the work of the unit in order to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, directives, and regulations. Utilize advanced knowledge of the technical health care process as it relates to access to care. Have knowledge to manage the assigned segment of the clinic, to include independently utilizing reference sources, decision making, and empowering the team to collaborate and resolve problems with a complex systems environment. Use advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with operational activities that affect the patient flow, patient care, and the revenue process. Apply advanced knowledge of medical terminology to understand, explain and apply technical language utilized by clinicians. Serves as a technical advisor and liaison for various program applications. Manage and respond to incoming electronic patient messages. Assists with contact modalities outreach for veterans. Assists with training of new hires. Responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of information obtained to carry out required duties. Special Duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:30 am - 4:00 pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): MAY BE authorized to highly qualified candidates Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized Student Repayment Program: This occupational series may be eligible for the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP), and participation is available for highly qualified candidates. Repayment is limited to $40,000 annually, up to $100,000 in lifetime awards. Participants must sign a three-year service agreement and maintain an acceptable level of performance to remain eligible for this program. Contact [email protected] for more information. 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
What you need to qualify
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11:59 PM (ET) on 07/29/2026. Medical Support Assistant Basic Requirements: Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance to 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). Experience and Education: Experience: None. OR Education: High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education. Licensure/Certification/Registration: None required. Grandfathering Provision: All MSAs employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, which are a part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. NOTE: This provision is not intended to regularize appointments/ placements. Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations: Creditable Experience: To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities or an equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as an MSA or an equivalent position in a non-VA hospital or clinic setting. Part-Time Experience: Part-time experience as an MSA or equivalent administrative patient support in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting is creditable according to its relationship for the full-time workweek. For example, an MSA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive one full-time workweek of credit for each two weeks of service. Quality of Experience: Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience or equivalent administrative clinical support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting at the next lower grade level. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty), and range of varieties as described in this standard, at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements, candidates must possess the required specialized experience and be able to demonstrate all Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) as summarized below. Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level. 1. Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process (including, but not limited to, scheduling across interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community models and patient health care portals) as it relates to access to care. 2. 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 patient support care [administrative functions] to include, but not limited to appointment cycles, outside patient referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, provider availability, etc. 3. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians. 4. 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 to ensure medical care to patients is met. 5. Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations. 6. Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively, electronically, by phone, in person, and in writing, with internal and external customers. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels, as well as resolving patient concerns. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 1. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology and a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community resources. 2. Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff. 3. Ability to utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting. 4. Ability to organize work, set priorities, and delegate tasks/responsibilities in order to meet deadlines. 5. Ability to provide staff development and training. 6. Ability to manage staffing requirements, manage workflow priorities, and adjust the flow of work to meet team and patient needs. This includes the ability to follow-up on pending issues and demonstrate an understanding of the impact of incomplete work across multiple clinics. References: See Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) website for VA specific qualification standards: VA Qualification Standards - Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO). The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7 You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.
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