Patient Relations Assistant

Full Job Description

This position reports to the Manager Operation Support Services (OSS) and supports the Deputy Chief of Nursing Operations (DADPCS) at the the Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center (VAMC).

The Patient Relations Assistant impacts the clinical aspect of patient care, including answering phones, coordinating appointments, discharge planning, inpatient processing, coordinating transportation, collecting, and updating demographic and insurance information, handling patient information and customer service.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/12/2026.

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-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04. 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.

Preferred experience posses a basic computer skills and familiar with various Microsoft programs to include Excel, Word, Power Point, etc.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: (In addition to meeting Time and Grade) You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: administration, customer service, safeguard patient information, knowledge or patient rights, benefits regulation, registrations, medical transporter, CPR, Heimlich maneuver for choking, seizure precautions, safety during seizures, safety and emergency first aid.

(Must be in Resume) OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have at least 4 years above high school.

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.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Administration and Management Communication Decisiveness Veteran and Customer Focus 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 work requires no special physical demands, but will require some physical effort such as standing, walking, bending or sitting.

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/.

Major Duties:

Duties include but are not limited to: serve as a liaison between the Veteran and Health Care System staff to provide maximal assistance to the Veteran and assist in resolving any conflicts or issues.

Assists patients in getting into and out of their vehicles, loading and unloading patient wheelchairs as necessary. Uses CPRS and/or VISTA to verify appointment information.

Assist Nursing Service and Pharmacy Service regarding the transportation of discharging patients by picking up non-narcotic medications from the pharmacy, picking up any assistive equipment that patient needs at discharge (i.e., wheelchair, walker, etc.) and transporting the patient at discharge to a location where family member can meet/pick up the patient.

Support the medical floor/units in transporting labs, urgent STAT labs to help facilitate care in Code Blues, and Rapid responses team.

Routinely visit clinical waiting areas and seek to problem-solve potential or existing barriers to care or patient dissatisfiers.

Assist with office emergencies to resolve situations requiring expertise in determining methods to use and approaches to be taken based on the patient circumstances.

Produce a weekly analysis and categorization of data to Supervisor or Lead Ambassador and will assist Supervisor or Lead Ambassador in developing patient experience improvements.

Assist the public relations program in increasing community and Veteran awareness of the Health Care System.

Interpret the Health Care Center's mission, policies, procedures, and available service, providing comprehensive assistance to Veterans and family members.

Provides a personal and positive first impression, standardizes the experience of assistance with navigation and information for Veterans and their family members, fosters a general culture of care, and personally assists customers throughout the Health Care System.

Responsible for record keeping, scheduling, computer input, correspondence, and reports, to include organizing work by reading and routing incoming correspondence, collecting information, and initiating telecommunications.

Provide courteous phone coverage and ensure telephone calls, office visitors, and patients are screened and referred to appropriate individuals in a timely manner; provide dispatch for high volume calls for transport and document all pertinent information required for transport of patients.

Ensure routine equipment such as Sabina, Scissor Lift & Hover Matt are operable and contain all components, and report discrepancies immediately.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 1300 -2300 Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Patient Relations Assistant/PD14098A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized