Patient Representative
About The Position
The Patient Representative is responsible for resolving complaints through service recovery, receiving compliments, working with Service Level Advocates to address issues and concerns, and communicating with patients about their care experiences. The role works exclusively in the Patient Advocate Tracking System (PATS-R) and collaborates with facility staff to develop and implement initiatives that improve the patient experience throughout the VAMC. The Patient Representative serves as a liaison among the facility, patients, staff, and community to make patient rights, responsibilities, and advocacy services available. The position may be filled at the GS-09 or GS-11 level. Work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; telework is ad hoc only, and the position is not virtual. Relocation, recruitment incentives, and permanent change of station are not authorized.
Requirements
- U.S. citizenship.
- For GS-09, one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-07, or qualifying graduate education (a master's or equivalent graduate degree, two years of progressively higher graduate education leading to such a degree, or a related LL.B. or J.D.), or an appropriate combination of education and experience.
- For GS-11, one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-09, or qualifying doctoral education (a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, three years of progressively higher graduate education leading to such a degree, or a related LL.M.), or an appropriate combination of education and experience.
- Current federal employees with applicable prior GS service must meet time-in-grade requirements: 52 weeks at GS-07 for GS-09, or 52 weeks at GS-09 for GS-11.
- Complete the application, questionnaire, required online assessment, and online onboarding process.
- Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.
- Submit required documentation of experience, including job title, duties, employment dates, and hours worked per week; submit transcripts if qualifying based on education.
- Selected applicants are subject to a background/security investigation and must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
- Serve a one-year probationary period or two-year trial period, as applicable.
- Preferred: Comprehensive knowledge and hands-on proficiency with PATS-R, including data entry, case-management workflows, reporting, and system-driven documentation.
- Preferred: Ability to use Microsoft Excel to extract and analyze PATS data, develop trend analyses, identify complaint patterns, and present concise data-driven summaries to leadership.
Nice To Haves
- Comprehensive knowledge of the PATS-R system and ability to navigate and use its features for patient advocacy operations.
- Hands-on proficiency in PATS-R data entry, case-management workflows, reporting functions, and documentation processes.
- Ability to use Microsoft Excel to extract and analyze PATS data, create reports, identify complaint trends, and present findings to leadership.
Responsibilities
- Collaborate with facility staff to create, develop, and implement initiatives and actions that improve the patient experience.
- Serve as a liaison between the facility, patients, staff, and community to ensure patient rights, responsibilities, and advocacy services are available.
- Assist patients in understanding their rights and responsibilities.
- Explain government laws, directives, and policies to people with varying educational and cultural backgrounds.
- Communicate patients' concerns, opinions, and needs to appropriate staff and management.
- Communicate trends to facility leadership to help drive system improvements.
- Present patient issue data and patient inquiry trends at meetings or to committees.
- Explore all appropriate lines of authority and responsibility within the medical facility to identify the nature and scope of problems and initiate action toward resolution.
- Facilitate resolution of problems beyond the capability of front-line staff.
- Resolve difficult and complex patient complaints.
- Receive compliments and support service recovery.
- Use PATS-R for patient advocacy operations, case management, documentation, and reporting.
- Collect, analyze, and evaluate patient complaint data and prepare reports identifying process improvement opportunities.
- Review and interpret information in medical and administrative records.
Benefits
- Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; specific benefit eligibility depends on position type.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
