Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

VA Boston Healthcare System seeks a Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) at GS-06 to support scheduling across multiple clinics and ensure efficient patient access. The role requires clinic experience, excellent communication with clinicians and patients, and proficiency with scheduling software.

The position is full-time, with day shifts and potential evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays to cover patient demand.

Qualifications

• One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in Federal service (GS-05).
• Experience in scheduling a high volume of appointments and providing high-level customer service.
• Ability to use clinic/hospital scheduling programs and software.
• Knowledge of medical terminology to support clinical workflows.

Responsibilities

• Schedule high-volume appointments across clinics to support patient access.
• Provide courteous, professional communication with clinicians, patients, families, and coworkers.
• Utilize scheduling software to manage patient flow and appointment cycles.
• Assist with maintaining patient access processes, referrals, and coordination of care.

Skills

High-volume scheduling

Customer service

Communication (oral & written)

Medical terminology

Team collaboration

Education

High school diploma or GED or proficiency certificate

Tools

Clinic scheduling software

Job description

The AMSA positions are in multiple service lines at the VA Boston Healthcare System, located on the West Roxbury 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.

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. 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).

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

• (a) 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.
• (b) 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.
• (c) Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.
• (d) 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.
• (e) Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.
• (f) 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

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA):

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

Reference:

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06.