Medical Support Assistant

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

The purpose of this position is to serve as a Medical Support Assistant (MSA) in the VISN 1 VA New England Healthcare System. The incumbent is responsible for a wide range of assignments and provides administrative support to increase scheduling and communication integrity across all services. Work is performed collaboratively in an Interdisciplinary Coordinate Care delivery model (Patient Aligned Care Team or Specialty Care Setting).

Duties may include but are not limited to:

• 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 Veteran registration for and utilization of HealtheVet (MHV)
• Stocks basic office supplies for the clinical area.
• Enters Veterans seeking emergent/urgent care scheduling appointments accurately.
• Utilizes call lists and telephones Veterans to pre-register them 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.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the Required Documents section of this announcement.

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

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:

• 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:MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d).
• Education: High school diploma General Education Development equivalency certificate or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.

• Grandfathering Provision: Employees in VHA in this occupation under a permanent appropriate and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held including positive education and registration/certification where applicable. For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment-specific requirements in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed the following provisions apply:

1. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients.
2. Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns and refer to the appropriate staff as necessary to ensure a satisfactory resolution.
3. Ability to operate computerized programs and systems in order to enter modify and retrieve sensitive medical and patient identifying information (PII) into or from electronic health records scheduling systems and/or reports.
4. Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting.
5. Ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work.
6. Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person electronically and/or by telephone with internal and external customers.