Patient Advocate

Military Treatment Facilities under DHA • Fort Hood, TX

24d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is located at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center in the Director of Resource Management, Clinical Support and Operations. The Patient Advocate receives and responds to patient concerns and grievances, maintains patient-satisfaction records, trains Patient Experience Champions and staff on patient-experience survey programs, and acts on behalf of the Commander to resolve concerns and improve access to care. The role involves working with patients, their representatives, facility staff, and outside organizations to identify and address obstacles to optimum health care.

Requirements

• One year of specialized experience responding to customer inquiries and/or complaints, recommending appropriate courses of action for customers, and assisting with public relations to increase customer awareness of the organization; or qualifying graduate education; or an eligible combination of education and experience.
• Qualifying education option: a master’s or equivalent graduate degree, two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.B. or J.D. in a field demonstrating relevant knowledge and skills, such as Hospital Administration, Healthcare Administration, Healthcare Management, or Public Health.
• Applicants who have held a General Schedule position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-07).
• A suitability or fitness determination and completed background investigation may be required; a Personnel Security Investigation is required.
• Consent to seasonal influenza vaccination or provide a recognized exemption.
• Provide proof of U.S. citizenship.
• Applicants using foreign education to meet qualification requirements must provide evidence that it has been evaluated as equivalent to education at an accredited U.S. institution, or that full credit has been given for the courses by an accredited U.S. institution.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• Complete a one-year probationary period.
• Direct deposit of pay is required.
• Only applicants meeting one or more of the listed employment-authority categories may apply, and applicants must identify their category and provide supporting documentation.

Responsibilities

• Receive and respond to concerns and grievances from patients or people acting on patients’ behalf.
• Provide input on and maintain files and records related to patient satisfaction.
• Train Patient Experience Champions (PECs).
• Train staff to use the Joint Outpatient Experience Survey (JOES) program and dashboard and Interactive Customer Evaluation (ICE) Surveys.
• Respond, when appropriate, to inquiries from outside sources such as the Office of the Surgeon General concerning patient dissatisfaction or concerns.
• Understand the facility’s mission, policies, procedures, and available patient resources and services; present patients’ problems, opinions, and needs to appropriate staff and management.
• Interview patients, their families or representatives, and facility staff to identify institutional barriers to optimum health care and patient access.
• Act on behalf of the Commander to resolve problems, expedite services, or implement corrective measures.
• Obtain factual information concerning complaints, including allegations of improper medical care.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level