VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System

Travis Skillings, a Navy Veteran, helps a Veteran caller during a shift as a health technician with the western Massachusetts Call Center, Northampton VA Medical Center.

 Northampton VA Medical Center in April will begin the expansion of its Call Center to serve Veterans throughout western Massachusetts.

The center, staffed by 10 VA professionals, is equipped to handle calls from more than 15,500 registered veterans in the VA western Massachusetts service area.

On Wednesday, April 4, for the first time, the VAMC Pittsfield Community-based Outpatient Clinic, or CBOC, will be served by the center.

By April 11, veterans in the Greenfield area will also be serviced by the call center with the Springfield CBOC following in mid-May. Veterans who call their assigned local CBOC can continue to do so. The CBOC telephone lines will be answered by the professionals at the call center in Northampton.

The call center line is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., at (800) 893-1522.

After hours, all calls will be directed to a VA call center in Dayton, Ohio.

The call center was started in January from Northampton when medical center officials recognized the need for Veterans to be assisted with a standardized and uniformed phone response process.

“We believe this is a significant step in improving the responsiveness to our veterans,” said Diane Richardson, a registered nurse and call center manager. “Our goal always is to provide the best care anywhere, and we will continue to do that in the call center.”

Richardson said the aim of the call center is to provide “first call resolution”, meaning that the call center provides ready access to a call center agent for appointment management and to resolve questions and concerns in a timely manner.

Since January, the call center has increased its staffing to a team of full-time registered nurses in the center each day along with a team of health technicians.  With the center now fully staffed, the center will now start taking calls from outside the Northampton coverage area.

When Veterans and, or, family members of Veterans call to schedule appointments with their primary care clinic, call center agents provide real time telephone care by setting up the appointment for them.  Bilingual staff are also available upon request.
 
“The call center is a one-stop call for Veterans, which ensures that whenever one calls, he or she can talk to someone who can help them,”  said Josephine Kozak, a telecommunications and customer service specialist, who was integral in establishing the center.

Call center agents, whether they are nurses or health technicians, are hired and chosen for their “customer service” skills and ability to interact with people and provide guidance.
 
“We’ve made it a major effort to recruit the right people because we know that will help in providing outstanding customer service,” Richardson said.