Patient Advocacy within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) exists to ensure patient concerns are heard and addressed to improve the overall experience and quality of care for patients. Patient Advocacy uses Patient Advocates and 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

Duties include but not limited to: Supervisory Responsibilities (25%) The incumbent oversees and provides supervisory and program direction for the Patient Advocacy program Ensures all new hires are properly trained and facilitates continuous and remedial training to ensure a team comprised of the highest level of professionalism Ensures psychological safety by debriefing Patient Advocate staff following challenging or difficult cases for the purpose of obtaining a shared understanding of the issue, identifying lessons learned and discussing potential strategies for implementation. Program Management (50%) Serves as the subject matter expert for the management and coordination of the complaint management process Provides effective management, detailed analysis, and oversight of the effectiveness of the Patient Advocacy program The incumbent reviews patient feedback data and organizational performance metrics to project short and long-range planning efforts, ensuring all directive requirements are met while aiming to improve the perception of care for the patient population.\ Cultural Transformation and Relationship Management (25%) Ensures rounds throughout the facility are conducted on a routine basis to obtain patient feedback, increase the visibility of the Patient Advocate role, and promote the availability of services provided. Manages the Patient Advocate Tracking System (PATS) at the medical facility Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Available on an as needed (Ad-Hoc) basis as determined by the supervisor Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Supervisory Patient Advocate/PD921010 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, 07/08/2024. 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: Knowledge and skill in collecting and analyzing data relating to customer services, identify system problems relating to customer service standards, and possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities to work with medical center personnel to resolve customer service delivery problems. Experience with complaint management expectations, customer service standards and directives governing medical benefits for Veterans, medical terminology, and services available. Versed experience and understanding of various public laws, as well as the VA Patient Rights & Responsibilities, Privacy Act, Freedom of Information Act, Advance Directives Act, and others are required. A high degree of skill in oral and written communication as well as interpersonal relations. Practical knowledge of the medical terminology and VA nomenclature used with a variety of administrative, diagnostic, and treatment procedures provided to all categories of patients. 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: Includes walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light items up to 10lbs. In some instances, relationships with patients can become intense and the incumbent is constantly exposed to elevated levels of stress. This position demands emotional stability, as the incumbent is deeply involved with many traumatized, seriously ill, or terminal patients and their families. 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 Aleda E Lutz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 1500 Weiss Street Saginaw, MI 48602 US
• Name: Madeleen Brewer
• Phone: 989-497-2500 X13083
• Email: [email protected]