Serves as the "Ambassador" to patients and visitors accessing Detroit VA Medical Center. Provide personal positive interaction utilizing standardize instructions guidelines. Assists internal and external customers with navigating throughout the facility, provide information, and apply service recovery interactions with customers prior to their departure from the facility.

Duties

Major Duties: Receives and listens to complaints and grievances from patients or from individuals on behalf of patients. Provides a channel through which patients can seek solutions to problems, concerns and unmet needs. Assists patients in understanding their rights and acts as a liaison between Veterans and staff. Resolves problems on a multitude of issues, referring problems that require further assistance to appropriate staff. Utilizes a variety of computer software programs in development of presentations and reports. Completes numerous typing/word processing duties, including correspondence, committee minutes, reports, medical center memorandums, etc; must keep abreast of any and all changes in the VA correspondence manual. Develop and sustain a system of tracking reports that are required. Ensures that all reports reach their destination during the established time frames. Verifies accuracy of these reports prior to processing. Creates and maintains all files which include such things as Congressional/controlled correspondence, personnel information, multiple correspondence, medical center committee minutes, regulation changes to policy and monthly/quarterly reports. Responsible for gathering information and the administrative coordination/management of the congressional/controlled correspondences for the Medical Center. Responses must be researched and prepared for the signature of the Medical Center Director within strict time constraints. Responsible for scanning and tracking the correspondences as well as the response letter prepared by the patient advocate and signed by the director. Responsible for all administrative functions of the program. Actively involved in identifying problem areas and in development of methods to improve the functions of the program. Works with other departments and staff to improve experiences with service recovery. Expected to seek interaction with customers by visiting patient care areas, talking with individuals in the waiting rooms, and soliciting feedback when providing assistance. Performs general office work which encompasses a variety of support duties and responsibilities; assist with the completion of customer satisfaction surveys and in the production of cumulative reports which include categorization of patient inquiries, concerns or issues in order to track and trend the patterns and identify opportunities for improvement in performance and the processes of care. Proposes solutions, goals and objectives for the Customer Service Standards. Assigned as the Learning Unit Coordinator (LUC), Automated Data Processing Applications Coordinator (ADPAC), or timekeeper for the department. This position requires a typing proficiency of at least 40 words per minute (WPM). Work Schedule: Sun - Saturday 8:00am to 4:30pm and 11:30am to 8pm rotating days, holidays and weekends. Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Patient Relations Assistant/PD91047-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized 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, 11/28/2023. Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: administrative and clerical work of an office, utilizing word processing, spreadsheets, database, and software to manage information; performing data collection and preparing reports; and receiving calls and visitors and directing them appropriately. This position requires a typing proficiency of at least 40 words per minute (WPM). Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 4 years above high school. 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 60 semester hours (i.e. beyond the second year) creditable toward meeting specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communication Conflict Management Organizational Awareness Problem Solving Computer Skills 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. Physical Requirements: Includes walking, standing, bending, kneeling, typing, computer processing, filing, receiving and delivering mail and answering telephones, carrying of light items such as medical records and occasionally assisting with a wheelchair. This position demands emotional stability as in most instances, relationships with patients can become intense and the employee is often placed in a position of stress. 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 John D Dingell Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 4646 John R Street Detroit, MI 48201 US
• Name: Joe Franklin
• Phone: 313-576-4705
• Email: [email protected]