Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Summary

The AMSA positions are in multiple service lines at the VA Boston Healthcare System - located on the Jamaica Plain campus. These positions are full time. Most shifts are scheduled during the day - but some shifts could be evenings - nights - and include weekends/holidays and may work tours other than their regular scheduled tours to cover shortages or high patient volume. Shift changes will be considered based on patient and facility needs.

Qualifications

• Basic Requirements:

  • United States Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.).
  • Experience: None.
  • 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.

• 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).

• Grandfathering Provision:

  • All Medical Support Assistants (MSAs) employed in Veterans Health Administration (VHA) in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard (February 20 - 2026) 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:
  • (1) Such employees may be reassigned - promoted - or changed to a lower grade within the occupation.
  • (2) 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.
  • (3) If an employee who was converted to Title 38 hybrid status under this provision leaves the occupation - the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

  • Grade Determinations:

    • Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) GS-06: Experience: One (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in Federal service (GS-05).
    • Experience includes: Clinic experience in a hospital or doctor's office setting to include scheduling a high volume of appointments annually.
    • High level customer service skills as evidenced by daily interaction and communication with clinicians - patients - families and coworkers.
    • Evidence of work in a clinic setting with multiple inputs (in person - telephone - instant message communications) that need timely and professional resolution.
    • Evidence of specific computer scheduling programs or software utilized in a clinic or hospital.
    • In addition to six months experience of clerical - office - customer service - or other administrative work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position.
    • And Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSA): In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels - as well as resolving patient concerns.
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.

  Duties

  Positions serve as a Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) at VA Boston Healthcare System. The position is responsible for a wide range of assignments and provides administrative support to the assigned section. Duties may include - but are not limited to:

  • Serves as the initial point of contact for units - clinics - patients - call centers - Care in the Community regarding various aspects of patient appointments and referrals.
  • Supports clinics regarding clinic profile management.
  • Collects and updates insurance information from Veterans - family members and other eligible patients.
  • Prepares correspondence and memos as needed.
  • Screens/receive phone calls in a courteous and timely manner - determine the nature of request and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processes.
  • Ensures data is entered into VISTA accurately and scans documents into VISTA Imaging within 24 hours of entering the data into VISTA if applicable.
  • Promotes Veterans registration for and utilization of MyHealthyVet (MHV) and kiosks usage.
  • Serves as the initial point of contact for units - clinics - patients - call centers - Care in the Community regarding various aspects of patient appointments and referrals.
  • Enters Veterans seeking emergent/urgent care - scheduling appointments accurately.
  • Pre-Registers Veterans during check-in and utilizing call lists and telephones Veterans before their scheduled visits.
  • Updates all patient demographics.
  • Communicates and interacts with patients in a manner which is appropriate to cognitive - emotional - and chronological maturation needs of the adult and/or geriatric patient.

  Work Schedule

  Monday through Friday - day shift hours - various tour of duties - To Be Determined

  Compressed/Flexible

  Not Authorized

  Remote

  Not Authorized

  Telework/Virtual

  Not Authorized

  Position Title/Functional Statement #

  Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) / F01391

  Total Rewards of an Allied Health VA Career

  VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant

  Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf

  Medical Support Assistant