Patient Relations Assistant (Customer Service Ambassador/Patient Transporter)

Summary This position serves as the Customer Service Ambassador/Patient Transporter, assigned to the Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE) Service at the San Francisco VA Healthcare System (SFVAHCS). Incumbent carries out the duties and responsibilities as directed by the Supervisor in the day-to-day Customer Service/Patient Transport Program operations, ensuring all patients and visitors have the best and safest possible experience while at SFVAHCS. Responsibilities Major duties and Responsibilities: Assists all veterans, patients, visitors and internal customers in outpatient clinics, inpatient wards, and administrative offices with forward greeting and wayfinding. Transports patients via wheelchairs, gurneys, and people mover cart in a safe and timely manner to appointments and testing throughout the hospital. Shuttling patients and visitors between facility buildings and parking lots in people mover cart. Identifying emergent situation and responding appropriately. Dispatching requests from internal and external customers; and acting as information receptionists for CDCE and Veteran Service Officers. Respond to dispatch requests from all clinical and administrative offices to include patient, specimen, medication, and morgue transport requests. Responds to questions and concerns by providing clear answers and/or escorting individuals to the information desk. Actively seek out patients and visitors in need of assistance by maintaining situational awareness, identifying those who may look lost, confused or in need of assistance. Responds to dispatch requests from all from clinics, wards, administrative offices and patients or visitors via telephone, radio, and other electronic communication systems. Respond to emergent situations by taking appropriate actions and calling emergency codes as necessary. Knowledge of VA, SFVAHCS, and CDCE Services, policies, and procedures. Navigating Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) and Veterans Integrated System Technology Architecture (VISTA) to identify patient appointment and inpatient admission information. Assist with light grounds keeping, monument cleaning and flag replacement in preparation of holidays and onsite events. Assist with other administrative and logistical support as assigned. Assist with any other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday – Friday (07:30am- 04:00pm, and 08:00am- 04:30pm) Position Description Title/PD#: Patient Relations Assistant (Customer Service Ambassador/Patient Transporter)/PD03110A 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. Work environment consists of various locations throughout the hospital to include clinics, Emergency Department, inpatient wards, Community Living Center, waiting areas and outdoors environments with exposure to the elements such as parking lots, monuments, sidewalks, and breezeways. Occasional off-site events both indoors and outdoors. The work involves the everyday risks and discomforts typical of these environments. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. GS-05 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-04 grade level in the federal service) or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: 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. Knowledge of the major issues, program goals, and objectives, work processes, and administrative operations of the organization. Extensive knowledge of the Survey of Healthcare Experience of Patients, and other data resources used to impact the patient experience. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. OR Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-05 level. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Successfully completed four (4) years above high school. Education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-05 level. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-05. Education in excess of the first 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. 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. 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. Additional Information Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicants criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPMs Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.