This Patient Representative postion is located within the Medical Media service at the Oklahoma VA Medical Center. This position exists to ensure patient concerns are heard and addressed to improve the overall experience and quality of care for patients. The incumbent utilizes Patient Advocates, as well as, staff members across diverse services/departments who are dedicated to specifically working with patients and their caregivers to resolve complaints that arise at the point of service.

Duties

The incumbent serves as a Patient Representative within a VA Medical Facility (e.g., VAMC, CBOC, OPC, etc.). On behalf of the VA Medical Facility Director, this position covers a variety of difficult and/or complex patient concerns, issues, and contacts for the Facility with the goal of providing resolution. The Patient Representative works exclusively in the Patient Advocate Tracking System (PATS). Duties may include but are not limited to: Managing the facility VCCR process, including complaint resolution, data capture and analysis of issues/complaints to make system improvements. Assist SLAs and front-line staff in resolving issues that occur at the point of service. Proactively identifies existing or potential problem areas and suggests solutions or alternatives to existing procedures which contribute to these problems. Reviews appropriate documentation and records, and discusses with personnel or witnesses regarding any practice that appears to violate the patient s rights Serves as the liaison between the Facility, patients, staff, and the community, ensuring Patient Rights and Responsibilities, advocacy, and services are available. Assists patients, their families and representatives, and facility staff members in recognizing and removing institutional barriers to the provision of optimum health care to patients. Review records to quickly resolve concerns, whenever possible. Provides coverage for fellow Patient Advocates and may be called upon to serve as the Acting Patient Advocate Supervisor. Responsible for complaint resolution with service recovery, receiving compliments, working with SLAs to help resolve issues and concerns and communicating with patients about their experiences of care. Collaborate with other facility staff in the creation development, and implementation of initiatives and actions that improve the patient experience throughout the organization. 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 thru Friday 0730-1600 or 0800-1630 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. AD-HOC Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Patient Representative/PD99864A and PD99864 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): 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, 12/06/2023. 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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09.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. SPF: Customer Service experience in PATS-R You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Customer Service, verbal and written skills, Microsoft package (Word, Excel, Access etc.) ability to working a diverse setting, skills in research, gather analyze and data, problem solving, clerical and administrative duties. (This experience must be clearly demonstrated in your resume to be considered eligible.) OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have master?s or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. of J.D., if related that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Education must be in education or a subject related to the position to be filled. Only education that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position will be accepted. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education directly related to the work of the position as outlined above that meets the requirements of the position. Only education in excess of the first year (18 semester hours) may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-09 level. (i.e., 1.5 years, or 27 semester hours, of progressive graduate education leading towards a master's degree would meet 50% of the qualification requirement.) NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required. For GS 11 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Customer Service, verbal and written skills, Microsoft package (Word, Excel, Access etc.) ability to working a diverse work environment, skills in research, gather and analyze data, clerical and administrative duties. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or I have completed 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or I have an LL.M., if related.? Education must be in education or a subject related to the position to be filled.? Only education that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position will be accepted. 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 combination of successfully completed education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the position as outlined above that meets the requirements of the position. Only education in excess of the first two years (36 semester hours) of graduate education may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-11 level.? E.g., 2.5 years of progressive graduate education leading to a doctoral degree (45 semester hours) would meet 50% of the requirement at this grade level.? NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Analysis and Problem SolvingCustomer ServiceData ManagementInfluencing/NegotiatingInterpersonal SkillsVeteran and Customer Focus 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

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 Oklahoma City VA Health Care System 921 Northeast 13th Street Oklahoma City, OK 73104 US
• Name: Shaffona Zayas
• Phone: 3032028165
• Email: [email protected]