Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Summary

The Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) positions are in multiple service lines at the VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System, located on multiple campuses. These position 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. Shift changes will be considered based on patient and facility needs.

Duties

• VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) GS-0679-06 General Description: The purpose of this position is to serve as an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (MSA) at a Medical Center in VISN 1 VA New England Healthcare System. The incumbent is responsible for a wide range of assignments and provides administrative support to the assigned section. Work is performed collaboratively in a Interdisciplinary Coordinate Care delivery model (Patient Aligned Care Team or Specialty Care Setting). Duties may include, but are not limited to: 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. Follows procedures regarding Community Care referrals. 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. Stocks basic office supplies for the executive suite. 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. Incumbent 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. Assures that all appropriate VA forms are used correctly and regulations followed. Additional duties or tasks may be assigned by the supervisor to ensure efficient daily operations. In the performance of official duties, the employee has regular access to printed and electronic files containing sensitive data which must be protected under the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, federal regulations, VA statutes and policy, and VHA procedures. The employee is responsible for protecting data from unauthorized release of form loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion, and following applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files and user ADP security as set out in the computer access agreement which the employee signs. As a front line contact with patients and staff, the incumbent sets the tone for perception concerning quality of healthcare services at the VA. A high degree of tact and diplomacy is required when dealing with Veterans who have multiple health problems and who may be frustrated with the administrative process associated with diagnosis and treatment. In the scheduling role, the incumbent supports patient safety standards using the correct Veterans Affairs identification of all patients in accordance with VHA Directive 1907.09 They must use each interaction with the patient to validate and update patient demographic information during check-in or over the phone to decrease the incidence of returned mail due to incorrect addresses and inability to contact patient by phone due to incorrect number. Explains the VA's mandate to collect insurance information from Veterans, their families, and other eligible patients. They collect, scan, and update health insurance information serving a major role in the revenue process. This incumbent contributes to the revenue collection process by identifying patients with third party insurance. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, day shift hours to be determined. Pay: Competitive salary and reg…

Qualifications

***THIS OPEN & CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT (OCA) ESTABLISHES A STANDING REGISTER OF ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS, which closes on 12/16/2026. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be on or about September 17, 2026 with subsequent reviews every other week as additional vacancies occur, or on an as-needed basis, until positions are filled. Please see the "What To Expect Next" area of the announcement which provides additional information on the referral process for this type of announcement.*** 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. To qualify for appointment to this position, all applicants must possess the following 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). English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as 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: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-06. Experience: One year of creditable experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-05). Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 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. 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. Assignment: For all assignments above the FPL, the higher-level duties must be of significant cope, administrative independence, complexity, and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. At the advanced level, the Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) (AMSA) performs difficult and responsible specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. Work involves specialized administrative judgment and the flexible use of a wide range of clinical…

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.