This position is within the VA Sunshine Healthcare Network (VISN 8) serving as the Patient Representative. This position is a key point of contact for patients and staff and to work in collaboration with facility Patient Advocates on complex issues or complaints where use of tact, diplomacy, sound judgment, compassion and flexibility are extremely important.

Duties

Patient Advocacy within VA exists to ensure patient concerns are heard and addressed to improve the overall experience and quality of care for patients. Effective, high-functioning Patient Advocacy is integral to fulfilling the goal of providing Veterans with world-class health care. Major duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: Provides oversight for patient advocacy programs throughout the VISN 8 healthcare system. Works directly with VAMC staff to ensure a comprehensive patient advocacy program is in place that supports the VA and VHA mission and vision of providing proactive, personalize healthcare. Conducts periodic visits to VAMCs to meet with patient advocate staff and stakeholders to assist those managers in identifying problems and opportunities for improvements as well as dissemination of best practices and lesson learned from other sites. Ensures VAMC patient advocacy programs comply with identified VA policy and procedures. Leads recurring conference calls with VAMC patient advocates to share best practices regarding national patient advocacy issues. Provides verbal and written guidance to VAMC staff regarding their patient advocacy programs. Assists VAMC staff in identifying and implementing solutions targeted towards improving the Veterans' experience. Relays findings regarding VAMC patient advocacy programs to VAMC leadership and VISN 8 Network Office leadership. Provides education and training opportunities to VISN 8 Network Office staff regarding customer service skills and interacting with Veterans and stakeholders. Provides direct customer service to Veterans who contact the VISN 8 Network Office or who contact other administrations/offices of the Department and are referred to VISN 8. Works with VISN 8 Network Office BDO to educate and answer Veteran questions regarding eligibility for a variety of VA and non-VA services, including services for special populations (i.e., CHAMPVA, Agent Orange, OEF/OIF/OND) Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8 am - 4:30 pm Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Remote: This position may require the selectee(s) to be geographically located (live and work) in the VISN 8 catchment area. Virtual/remote opportunities may be available at the agency's discretion and will be discussed during the selection process. Position Description/PD#: Patient Representative/PD485-10935-O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized 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, 10/10/2023 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 GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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 as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Serves as the liaison between the VISN, facility, patients, staff, and the community, ensuring Patient Rights and Responsibilities and advocacy services are available. Interpretations and adaptations of guidelines to specific problems are frequently required, for example, in determining treatment entitlement and complaints regarding eligibility regulations.; Identifying and analyzing the key issues in proposed regulations, standards, or guidelines; Uses Federal Laws, VA regulations and directives governing Veteran's medical benefits, VISN policies/procedures and organizational structure; Applies medical terminology to review and interpret medical and administrative record information; Develops and conducts training; Interviewing, inquiring, knowledge of counseling principles, and record keeping techniques. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Analysis and Problem Solving, Communications and Media, Conflict Management, Customer Service, Education and Training, and Organizational Awareness 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 includes walking, standing, bending, carrying of light items, and occasionally assisting with a wheelchair. In some instances, relationships with patients and caregivers can become intense and the incumbent is constantly exposed to high levels of stress and anxiety. This position demands emotional stability, as the incumbent is deeply involved with many challenging, seriously ill, and/or dying patients and their caregivers. 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.

Contacts

• Address VHA VISN 8 Human Resources 140 FOUNTAIN PARKWAY N. SUITE 600 ST PETERSBURG, FL 33716 US
• Name: Tara Logan
• Phone: 908-210-6280
• Email: [email protected]