This position is organizationally the Facility Patient Advocate for the Medical Center and is referred to at the Veteran Experience Representative (VER). The incumbent strongly supports Cultural Transformation policies and activities. This position is responsible for the coordination and implementation of the Veterans Experience and Patient Advocate programs.

Duties

The incumbent serves as the liaison between the medical center, patients and staff, and the community regarding the patient experience, patient rights and advocacy. The incumbent serves as the facility Veteran Experience Representative (VER) with primary purpose of this role being to enhance the Veterans experience. The VER will assure the timely resolution of patient and family complaints, identify and participate in the identification and correction of system issues, educate staff regarding patient centered strategies and collect and analyze data in order to identify trends and patterns that create difficulty for patients or families using the Patient Advocate Tracking System (PATS). PATS is a vital resource to patients and managers as the information gained from PATS allows medical center management to understand how well the facility is meeting the expectations of our patients; this information includes concerns voiced by Veterans, significant others, and stakeholders. The incumbent will maintain a clear communication between the Veteran population, staff and facility leadership. The incumbent will be responsible for supporting proactive training initiatives including Patient Centered Care Training, New Employee Orientation and New Patient Orientation. Incumbent reports and documents patient status and changes, and documents using monthly summaries or quarterly summaries pertaining to both resolved and unresolved patient and/or family concerns. Incumbent communicates pertinent information to appropriate parties concisely, accurately and in a timely fashion. Reports significant and relevant information and issues to leadership. Reviews data, performs comprehensive analysis and recommends remedial actions. Performs established follow-up procedures for insuring that remedial actions are implemented in a timely manner, and takes independent and appropriate action necessary to implement programs or activities and correct problems. The incumbent works closely with each professional service by reviewing, analyzing, and making recommendations on proposed departmental policy and procedure changes, organizational changes, and process improvement initiatives etc. Participates in leadership meetings with top management to include Joint Commission, SOARS, audits and a variety of relevant committees etc. Incumbent works with Service Level/Line Patient Advocates/Case Managers and provides a channel through which patients can seek solutions to problems, concerns and unmet needs. Works with health care providers and administrative support staff throughout the medical center in preventing and resolving patient complaints and in enhancing Veteran experience. Assists patients in understanding their rights in addition to their responsibilities. Maintains liaison with Veteran's Service Organizations, community groups, and other entities whose interest are in helping and protecting Veterans, their families and their representatives. The incumbent interprets the Medical Center's mission, policies, and procedures, assesses available resources/services/options available to the patient and then represents opinions and need to appropriate staff and management. Explains entitlements to patients and their families. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 7:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Compressed/Flexible: Compressed may be available after 90 days. Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Patient Representative/PD21615A and PD21173A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not available. Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet time in grade and specialized experience requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement, 09/08/2023 Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9.The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-9 Requirements Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Under direct supervision, assists patients, their families and representatives, and facility staff members in recognizing the need to remove institutional barriers to ensure optimum health care is delivered to patients. Assisting by communicating with customers in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Helping by handling conflict and problems with the customer constructively and appropriately. Assisting by maintaining a clear communication between the patient population, staff and facility leadership. NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.B. or J.D. in a related field that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts required. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond the first year or 18 semester hours and specialized experience to meet total experience requirements. NOTE: Transcripts required. GS-11 Requirements Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Independently assists patients, their families and representatives, and facility staff members in recognizing the need to remove institutional barriers to ensure optimum health care is delivered to patients. Independently communicates with customers in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Independently handles conflict and problems with the customer constructively and appropriately. Independently maintains a clear communication between the patient population, staff and facility leadership. NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. NOTE: Transcripts required. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education may be used to qualify. NOTE: Transcripts required. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Customer ServiceProblem SolvingSelf Management Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The regular and recurring work of the position involves sitting at a desk, conferences, meetings, etc., and occasional visits to facility work sites. Occasional use of automobile and public conveyances may be required. No special physical exertion is required. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address VA Portland Health Care System 3710 Southwest US Veterans Hospital Road Portland, OR 97239 US
• Name: Simone Ball
• Phone: 541-440-1000 X44275
• Email: [email protected]