This position is located at the Salem, VA serving as a Facility Patient Advocate responsible for coordinating complaint resolution by working with facility staff to help resolve issues and concerns and ensuring communication with patients about their experiences of care occurs. Due to the diversity of patients, family and staff use of tact, diplomacy, sound judgment, compassion, flexibility, and a good sense of humor 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: Complaint Resolution Manages the facility Veteran Centered Complaint Resolution (VCCR) process, including complaint resolution, data capture and analysis of issues/complaints to make system improvements Assists Service-Level Advocates (SLAs) and front-line staff in resolving issues and addressing more complex complaints Explores all avenues to properly identify the nature and scope of the problem and to initiate appropriate action to expedite a resolution Proactively identifies existing or potential problem areas and suggests solutions or alternatives to existing procedures which contribute to these problems Patient Representation and Relationship Management Serves as the liaison between the facility, patients, staff, and the community, ensuring Patients understand their rights, in addition to, their responsibilities Works directly with health care teams, Service Chiefs, and management to facilitate resolution to problems beyond the capability of front-line staff and participate in resolution of system problems by presenting the patient's perspective of the problem and the desired resolution Maintains a strong relationship with Veterans Service Organizations and others whose interests are in helping and protecting Veterans, their families, and their representatives Data Analysis/System Improvement Ensures VHA Patient Advocacy goals, policy and requirements are met by collecting, analyzing, and evaluating relevant data, and preparing reports based on that data Works to identify the elements of clinical or administrative practices contribute to or create an atmosphere for patient dissatisfaction and recommends changes Presents patient issues and data at various facility meetings and committees Works closely with Facility Management to discuss trending concerns that may indicate the need for system improvements Work Schedule: 7:45am-4;30pm Monday-Friday 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. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Patient Representative/PD99864S

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/23/2024. 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-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7.For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. 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. Preferred Experience: Experience with Patient Advocate Tracking System (PATS); Experience evaluating documents and other data collection forms and coordinating the information; Experience with gathering surveys and organizing the data/statistical results You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: For the GS 9: Specialized Experience: 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: evaluating documents and other data collection forms and coordinating the information; gathering surveys and organizing the data/statistical results; performing basic analysis on the scores and generating various reports highlighting trends; identifying aspects of clinical or administrative practices that contribute to or create an atmosphere for patient dissatisfaction, and recommending changes to reduce or eliminate adverse conditions; serves as an advocate for patients throughout the facility.. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Master's. 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 .two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree OR LL.B. or J.D., if related. For the GS 11: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Aiding patients in understanding their rights in addition to their responsibilities; maintaining a work liaison with Veteran's service organizations, community groups, and other entities whose interest is in helping and protecting Veterans, their families and their representatives; responsible for the patient representative/advocate program at the medical center and serves as an advisor to the customer service coordinator and executive leadership on issues concerning patient relations; working with clinical and administrative service chiefs and other health care providers throughout the medical center in preventing and resolving complaints/concerns from patients and family members of patients. 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, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Analysis and Problem SolvingCommunicationConflict ManagementCritical ThinkingCustomer ServiceManages and Organizes Information 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 regular and recurring work of the position involves sitting at a desk, attending conferences, meetings, etc., and occasional visits to facility work sites. Occasional use of automobile and public conveyances may be required. Frequent use of telephone and auditory headsets are necessary. No special physical exertion is required. Physical demands include walking, standing, bending, carrying of light items such as medical records and occasionally assists with a wheelchair. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Salem VA Medical Center 1970 Roanoke Boulevard Salem, VA 24153 US
• Name: Jessica Krahe
• Phone: (724) 290-8372
• Email: [email protected]