The Community Care-Veteran Experience Assistant (CC-VEA) position is located at the Pittsburg VA Medical Center. The purpose of the position is to act on the patient's and family's behalf regarding a variety of questions and issues involving problem resolution and patient advocacy issues regarding Community Care benefits and coordinated Community Care (non-VA care).

Duties

The purpose of this position is to support high quality Customer Service by assuring the timely resolution of patient and family complaints, identifying and participating in the identification and correction of system issues, and to analyze data and identify trends and patterns that will improve customer service for patients and/or families. Explains community care benefits to patients and their families. 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 the Veterans served by the medical center or community care provider. Responsible for conducting patient advocacy activities when needed and resolving customer service issues within the VA and/or community. Identifies existing and potential problem areas and suggests solutions or alternatives to existing procedures which contribute to these problems. Provides a channel through which patients can seek solutions to problems, concerns, and unmet needs. Works with health care providers and administrative support staff in medical centers and community partners to prevent and resolve patient complaints. Interprets the Medical Center's mission, policies, procedures, and available resources/services to the patient and presents the patient's problems, opinions and needs to appropriate staff and management. 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 Veterans. Identifies existing and potential problem areas and suggests solutions or alternatives to existing procedures which contribute to these problems. Acts to resolve problems, expedite services, or implement necessary corrective measures within established facility policies and where appropriate through committee participation. Serves as the primary Community Care Service-Level Advocate for patients and their families throughout the facility. Assists patients in understanding their rights in addition to their responsibilities. Provides Veterans, family members, and other visitors with information and assists in problem solving about the organization, its functions, activities, and personnel. Develops a positive working relationship with appropriate government agencies, co-workers, clinical and administrative staff, VISN staff, community vendors, and department service officers of Veteran organizations. The incumbent takes the initiative to establish contacts that are beneficial to the success of the program and reflect favorably on the medical representatives of outside agencies in order to be aware of developments that will affect the program. Participates in and may lead, as appropriate, process improvement groups to correct and reduce patient complaints. Communicates pertinent information to appropriate parties concisely, accurately, and timely. Reports significant and relevant information and issues to superior and/or other management staff. Maintains a work liaison with Veterans' service organizations, community groups, and others who have an interest in helping and protecting Veterans, their families, and their representatives. The incumbent interprets the medical center's mission, policies, procedures, and available resources/services to the patient and presents the patient's problems, opinions, and needs to appropriate staff and management. Explains entitlements to patients and their families. Responsible for congressional and/or patient inquiry letters as requested by the Office of the Director. May be called upon to provide information with which to answer these inquiries and/or complaints. Other duties as assigned. 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: 8:00 to 4:30:pm, Monday thru Friday Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Position Description/PD#: Patient Representative/PD024770 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 all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/03/2023. 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 by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. For the GS-09 you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. 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. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience GS-7: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Providing advice that is timely, responsive and accurate. Maintaining appropriate rapport with internal and external customers to facilitate the accomplishment of the medical center goals and mission. Keeping supervisor and/or team leader informed of difficult and/or controversial issues and unique problems. Taking action to effectively solve problems before they have an adverse impact on the organization or other employees. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have one full year of graduate level education OR superior academic achievement. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education. Specialized Experience GS-9: 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: conducting patient advocacy activities, identify existing potential problem areas, seek solutions to problems, assist patients, families and representatives, helps patients understand their rights; collecting data, reporting, and process improvement. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed two (2) years of progressively higher-level graduate education, or masters or equivalent graduate degree, or LL.B. or J.D., in a related field of the position to be filled. Education at the graduate level must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. 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 (18 semester hours) of masters degree may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-09 level. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Administration and ManagementCustomer ServiceOral Communication 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 work is sedentary. Typically, the employee sits comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking, standing, bending, carrying of light items (mail, computing devices, manuals, papers, books, small parts), or driving an automobile. The work requires manual dexterity for computer data entry, office machine operation and filing. However, in general, the work does not require unusual physical demands. 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

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

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 Pittsburgh VA Medical Center 1010 Delafield Road Pittsburgh, PA 15215 US
• Name: Amberly Betsill
• Phone: (412) 822-3105
• Email: [email protected]