Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

About the role

The AMSA Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) positions are in multiple service lines at the VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System - located on multiple campuses. 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 tour to cover shortages or high patient volume.

Responsibilities

• 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
• Cleans 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
• Fulfills other duties as assigned

Requirements

• Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C.7407(a)
• 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
• 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 Documentation Requirements for Proof of High School Completion or Higher Education If selected, to meet the basic requirement of high school education or equivalent and prior to a firm job offer being extended, applicants must provide one of the following as verification of the education requirement if not covered under the grandfathering provision: Copy of high school diploma OR high school transcript (unofficial or official) OR GED Certificate OR homeschooling completion OR proficiency certificate issued by a State or Territorial Board or Department of Education OR college transcript (official)

Qualifications

• Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C.7407(a)
• 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
• 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 Documentation Requirements for Proof of High School Completion or Higher Education If selected, to meet the basic requirement of high school education or equivalent and prior to a firm job offer being extended, applicants must provide one of the following as verification of the education requirement if not covered under the grandfathering provision: Copy of high school diploma OR high school transcript (unofficial or official) OR GED Certificate OR homeschooling completion OR proficiency certificate issued by a State or Territorial Board or Department of Education OR college transcript (official)

Skills

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

Independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations

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, as well as resolve patient concerns

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

Independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations

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, as well as resolve patient concerns

Benefits

Not specified

Pay

Not specified

Schedule

Monday through Friday - day shifts hours - To Be Determined