Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Greenfield (MA); On-site; USD 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) in Greenfield, Massachusetts. This full-time role involves providing administrative support, managing patient interaction, and ensuring accurate data entry into VISTA. The ideal candidate must possess a high school diploma and strong customer service skills, with flexibility to work various shifts including weekends. This position emphasizes effective communication and collaboration with clinicians to enhance patient care.

Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Proficient in spoken and written English.
• Willingness to work various shifts including evenings and weekends.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support to the assigned section.
• Collect and update insurance information from Veterans.
• Ensure data entry into VISTA is accurate.
• Communicate with patients effectively.

Skills

Ability to collaborate with clinicians

High level customer service skills

Effective communication with customers

Familiarity with clinic scheduling software

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

Overview

The AMSA positions are in multiple service lines at the Va Central Western Mass 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 - including working evenings - nights - weekends/holidays to cover shortages or high patient volume. Shift changes will be considered based on patient and facility needs.

Qualifications

• 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: One year of experience at the GS-05 level; clinic experience in a hospital or doctor's office setting; high level customer service skills; experience with multiple inputs (in person, telephone, instant messaging); familiarity with clinic scheduling software; and the ability to perform clerical, office, and administrative tasks
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA): Ability to collaborate with clinicians, set priorities, communicate effectively with internal and external customers, and understand coordinating care delivery and patient flow
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/

Duties

• These positions serve as a Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) at VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System
• Provide administrative support to the assigned section
• Support clinics regarding clinic profile management
• Collect and update insurance information from Veterans, family members, and other eligible patients
• Prepare correspondence and memos as needed
• Screens/receive phone calls in a courteous and timely manner, determine the nature of requests, and provide information in line with privacy rules and clinic processes
• Ensure data is entered into VISTA accurately and scan documents into VISTA Imaging within 24 hours of entry, if applicable
• Promote Veterans registration for and utilization of MyHealthyVet (MHV) and kiosks usage
• Follow procedures regarding Community Care referrals
• Serve as the initial point of contact for units, clinics, patients, call centers, and Care in the Community regarding appointments and referrals
• Enter Veterans seeking emergent/urgent care and schedule appointments accurately
• Pre-register Veterans during check-in and utilize call lists; contact Veterans before scheduled visits
• Update all patient demographics
• Communicate with patients in a manner appropriate to their needs (adult and/or geriatric)
• Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, day shifts; pay attention to staffing needs
• Other duties as assigned to support clinic operations

Position title/functional statement # Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)/F01391. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required. Notifications: THIS OPEN & CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT (OCA) ESTABLISHES A STANDING REGISTER OF ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS – which closes on 09/14/2026. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be on or about May 11, 2026, with subsequent reviews every other week as additional vacancies occur, or on an as-needed basis, until positions are filled. Additional information on the referral process is provided in the What To Expect Next area of the announcement. Due to a critical staffing shortage, 38 U.S.C. 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcement. Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 (Notice of Personnel Action) identifying the position title, series, grade, step, tenure, and type of service. In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required. Do not submit an award SF-50. Applicants may be referred for consideration prior to the close date. There may not be a vacancy at a listed location; applicants for those locations will be added to the applicant pool if needed. VA Careers references: Medical Support Assistant resources and Total-Rewards materials are provided via linked PDFs/URLs.