Job Information
Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration Patient Services Assistant in Honolulu, Hawaii
Summary The primary purpose of the position is to schedule disability compensation examinations for the Veterans Benefits Administration claims process. The incumbent is responsible for performing the administrative operations of the Compensation and Pension Program at the Veterans Pacific Islands Healthcare System, Honolulu, Hi. Responsibilities The duties related to this position include but are not limited to the following: Initiate and carry out a variety of advisory and technical duties, including receiving and scheduling requests for Compensation and Pension (C&P) examinations, arranges/coordinates travel, lodging and reimbursement for travel, ordering lab, x-ray and other tests necessary for the examinations, servicing and clinic receptionist, providing administrative support for clinical staff who perform the C&P exams, and communicating with VBA staff at VA Regional Offices in Honolulu and other regional facilities. Follows all clinic administrative requirements and assures that they meet established standards and are completed accurately within allotted time frames for each step in the examination process. Receives all requests (2507's) initiated from VA Regional Offices for C&P examinations, prepares the request for initial review/orders by the clinician, schedules all appointments into VistA and notifies the veteran by telephone and mail of the appointment(s). Prepares paperwork for each clinic, assures that the appropriate forms are included, and assures delivery prior to and pick-up after the clinic is completed. Monitors the completion of all examinations and secures results for review in a timely manner. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Patient Services Assistant/PD02137-A 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 Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/23/2024. 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-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. 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. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to receiving and scheduling requests for Compensation and Pension (C&P) examinations, arranging travel, lodging and reimbursement for travel, ordering lab, x-ray and other tests necessary for the examinations, servicing and clinic receptionist, providing administrative support for clinical staff; file preparation and delivery of medical charts; receiving/scheduling and clinic preparation/completion. Preferred Experience: The incumbent must possess good communication skills and the ability to interact with veterans and staff in a positive, friendly, helpful, supportive and professional manner. Communication both verbal and in writing is necessary. Possess a good working knowledge of medical terminology in order to be familiar with information provided on exam requests, to assure the appropriate tests are ordered, to be able to interpret orders and to appropriately schedule exams/tests and must have knowledge of time management techniques in order to assess priorities in workload, telephone calls and general office activity so that work is accomplished accurately, efficiently and in order of importance. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Information Management Attention to Detail Interpersonal Skills 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 duties and responsibilities of this position require some mobility between the C&P office and various other clinics/offices located at any of our Health Care System divisions, but generally the job is sedentary with some physical exertion, such as walking, bending, stooping, stretching, and lifting moderately heavy objects such as medical records. The position is far more demanding mentally than physically. It requires some emotional strength to work with a program that receives constant top management attention and must adhere to strict established timelines and to work with veterans and their families with complex debilitating illnesses who have monetary gain or loss at issue. 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 There is no educational substitution at this grade level. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. 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. 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.