Patient Relations Assistant

About the role

This position serves as the Customer Service Ambassador/Patient Transporter - assigned to the Veteran Experience Office at the Lt. Col. Luke Weathers - Jr. VA Medical Center. The incumbent works under the direction of the Customer Service Ambassador/Patient Transport Supervisor - Deputy Chief of Veteran Experience and reports to the Deputy Chief of Veteran Experience.

Responsibilities

• Carrries out all day-to-day operations of the Customer Service/Patient Transport program - to include a wide range of requests from patients - visitors - and staff.
• Assists patients - visitors - and staff throughout the facility while continuously implementing regulatory guidelines at the direction of the supervisor.
• Aids all Veterans - patients - visitors and internal customers in outpatient clinics - inpatient wards - and administrative offices with forward greeting - wayfinding - wheelchair - gurney - transport - shuttle - shuffling patients and visitors between facility buildings and parking lots in people mover/golf cart - identifying emergent situation and responding appropriately and dispatching requests from internal and external customers.
• Greets all Veterans - visitors and staff with a smile and respect.
• Promotes a culture of caring and positive first impression - determine Veterans and/or visitors' needs and respond to those needs in a timely manner.
• Responds to questions and concerns by providing clear answers and/or escorting individuals to the information desk - Service Level Advocates - Veterans Service Officer - or appropriate department for a warm hand-off - as appropriate.
• Carries out duties in assigned areas to include entrances - hallways - waiting areas - and reception areas - as assigned.
• Facilitates the dispatching of requests from clinics - wards - administrative offices and patients or visitors via telephone - radio - and other electronic communication systems.
• Assists with programs outside of the Customer Service/Patient Transport Program.

Qualifications

• To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
• For GS-04 grade level: 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-4 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-3. 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.
• For GS-05 grade level: 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-5 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-4. 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.
• Generalized Experience: You must have one year of experience in progressively responsible clerical - office - or other work that indicates ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position to be filled. OR - Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-04 level. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED): Education must be 2 years above the high school level in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business - secretarial or technical school - junior college - college - or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours - 45 quarter hours - or the equivalent in a college or university - or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business - secretarial - or technical school OR - Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. Do you possess a combination of successfully completed post-high school education and experience to meet the total experience requirements. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business - secretarial or technical school - junior college - college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. (i.e. 6 months of general experience and 1 year of education above the high school level).
• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-4 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to assisting all Veterans - patients - visitors - and internal customers in outpatient clinics - inpatient wards - and administrative offices with forward greeting; wayfinding; wheelchair - gurney - specimen - and morgue transports; shuttling patients and visitors between facility buildings and parking lots in people mover/ golf cart; identifying emergent situation and responding appropriately; dispatching requests from internal and external customers and Extensive knowledge and skill in Patient Centered Care; Safe Patient Handling; Patient Safety; Customer Service; Communication; Problem Solving; Conflict Resolution; Prevention & Management of Disruptive Behavior; and extensive knowledge of VA and CDCE Services - policies - and procedures. OR - 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. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) OR - Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond 60 semester hours (i.e. - beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience.

Competencies

• Clerical
• Communications
• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Decision Making
• Interpersonal Skills
• Oral Communication

Physical Requirements

• The regular and recurring work of the position involves prolonged standing - extensive walking - bending - lifting - patient transfers - carrying items such as walkers and equipment - pushing wheelchairs and gurneys - and driving people mover shuttle cart.
• Occasional working parties involving loading and unloading of donations - supplies & equipment for on-site and community events.
• Occasional use of motor vehicles may be required.