Summary The Patient Relations Assistant (PRA) serves as a frontline representative of the Veteran & Employee Experience Program (VEEP), supporting Veterans, families, visitors, and staff by providing service recovery, intake and documentation of complaints and compliments, Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) call triage, and administrative coordination. Responsibilities Duties include but are not limited to: Serve as a primary point of contact for Veterans and families seeking assistance, information, or resolution of concerns in clinics, at information desks, or by phone via ACD. Perform complaint intake in PATS-R, capturing accurate and complete demographics, key details, related clinical information, and required documentation. Assign, route, and/or escalate cases to Patient Advocates or responsible services per established VHA policy, local SOPs, and escalation pathways. Provide real-time service recovery at the lowest appropriate level, employing VA Core Values (I-CARE) and de-escalation skills; track actions and outcomes in PATS-R. Triage ACD calls, document call reasons and actions taken, and ensure timely follow-up communications. Offer way-finding and general information, coordinate with clinics and administrative services to resolve scheduling, access, or communication issues. Provide administrative support to the VEEP Office including meeting coordination, agendas, calendar support, supply tracking, and routine correspondence. Record and monitor incoming inquiries (phone, email, walk-ins), track resolutions, and maintain organized case logs and documentation. Create, edit, and format documents, spreadsheets, slide decks, and email communications; scan/upload records and manage e-files in accordance with VA records rules. Operate and perform basic troubleshooting for printers, scanners, copiers, and fax machines; follow local IT and cybersecurity protocols for accounts, authentication, and data handling. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30 am - 4:00 pm or 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Patient Relations Assistant/PD01364A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/09/2026. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-5 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: knowledge of health care policies, procedures, and regulations; ability to translate medical center policies and procedures and regulations in a manner to help respond to patients' requests for assistance; knowledge of patient rights; and, knowledge of medical terminology. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successful completion of 4 years of education above high school. (Transcripts Required) 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 high school. Preferred Experience: Call Center experience Customer Service Date Entry experience Manage inbound and outbound calls Physical Requirements: The regular and recurring work of the position involves extensive walking, standing and bending, and carrying of items such as walkers, wheelchairs and any other Veteran mobility accessories. to the Health Care System. The position requires regular pushing of patient and visitor wheelchairs. Occasional use of automobile may be required as well. Occasional use of Veteran shuttle may be needed, all shuttle drivers must pass a physical and have a clean driving record. 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/. Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. 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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.205) for this occupation. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's 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. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. 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 employee's 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. 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 qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
