The primary purpose of this position is to implement a Performance Improvement Program at the Health Care System level. The position is responsible for delivering Performance Improvement techniques to a broad array of program and services throughout the Medical Center, including Lean, Six Sigma, Coaching, Project Management, and Training.

Duties

Major Duties and Responsibilities Analytics and Project Management (40%): Organizes, directs, controls and coordinates group activities in a timely and effective manner. Conducts extensive work in analyzing data and conducting background research on the issue. Pulls, isolates and manipulates data to identify root causes of a performance issue. Develops statistical models to measure successful of performance improvement actions. Converts data into numerous formats using advanced statistical models including statistical process control charts, histograms, paretto charts, and many more. Defines a project scope and goals through a collaborative process with subject matter experts and leadership at the facility, service line or program, or unit level. Leads a team of subject matter experts, front line staff and leadership through a rigorous and defined project management process utilizing multiple tools from Lean Six Sigma, Lean VA TAMCCS and other performance improvement disciplines to further define the current state of the process. Leads project teams through designed brainstorming sessions to develop solutions towards a specific deliverable or goal during a project. Identifies various solutions approaches and when necessary further leads them through prioritizing exercises with tools like affinity diagrams, PICK Charts and multi-voting. Creates designs of experiment that align to project goals and team developed solutions. The designs of experiment are hypotheses which are monitored through data for effectiveness or failure. Designs of experiment are often iterative and will involve multiple solutions in random or sequential order. Design experiments with process measurement in mind by consulting with subject matter experts in order to develop standard work. Develops control plans, communication plans, risk management plans, and through closeout of the project. Internal Consultation for System Engineering (30%): Provides consultation to executive, service line, and program leadership by leveraging VA data analytics resources. Identifies metrics performing below benchmarked standards or falling below the upper or lower control limits of a statistically controlled models such as SAIL. Plans and conducts studies directed at reducing errors due to cognitive overloading and human computer interaction failure. Identifies systems designs problems that contribute to human errors. Identifies alternative systems and processes based on Lean/Systems Redesign/Systems Engineering principles to mitigate these types of errors. Collects baseline information, identifies limitations in current systems, and discovers potential improvements. Develops statistical, graphical, and narrative reports, and communicates these studies to medical center executive leadership, service chiefs, supervisors and other staff. Aligns identified metrics to known organizational priorities, such as VA/VHA/VISN/Facility strategic or operational plan. Develops benchmarks, and assigns a schedule or priority level to a potential project based on the needs of the organization and direct consultation with executive leadership. Develops local data metrics and dashboards to monitor projects in progress or performance benchmarks of a project that is awaiting a charter or formal decision from executive leadership for action. Aligns appropriate performance improvement teams and resources, project scopes, and value streams, strategic and operational plans. Assesses (in terms of degrees) the success or failure in attaining program operational goals/objectives. Educator (20%): Provides instruction to others on Lean, Lean Six Sigma, Systems Redesign or other improvement methodologies principles and tools through formal classroom instruction or small group mentoring. Develops written and verbal teaching materials. . Delivers training materials and curriculum consisting of advanced practices of project management, statistics, coaching, facilitation and leadership. Ensure sustainability and spread of efforts directed at improving quality, safety, effectiveness, and efficiency using management engineering (10%): Responsible for leading the team through development of control strategies, to ensure project solutions are sustained after the project lifecycle. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 0730-1600, telework eligible Position Description Title/PD#: Health System Specialist-Facility System Redesign Specialist/ SPD#S0012-A Physical Requirements: The work requires some physical exertion, such as periods of standing when teaching; some walking, bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, or similar activities when visiting work sites; and some moderate lifting and carrying. At other times the work is sedentary, requiring the use of a computer.

Requirements

Qualifications

Individual Occupational Requirements Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration. or General Experience: (for GS-5 positions): Work that required a knowledge of the basic principles and practices related to the management of a health care delivery system. Such experience may have been gained as an administrative officer, management analyst, or administrative or clinical program manager or supervisor in a health care delivery system. GS12 Specialized Experience Requirement: There is no Education Substitution at this grade level. Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5) Progressively responsible analytical or administrative, or clinical management or supervisory experience in the health care field. This work may have been performed in an operating health care facility or a higher organizational echelon with advisory or directional authority over such facilities. Work must have involved a close working relationship with facility managers and analysis and/or coordination of administrative, clinical, or other service activities, and provided knowledge of the following: Missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems; Regulations and standards of various regulatory and credentialing groups; and Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement. Carrying out administrative functions and change managment systems. Using Lean Six Sigma or other data driven approaches to increase overall efficiency of operation and improvement studies. Special Provision for Inservice Placement: Successful completion of an agency-sponsored on-the-job training program may be substituted for qualifying experience, provided it included a formal individualized training plan. Such a training program must have been conducted in an operating health care system and included: Assignments providing a knowledge of basic health system administration philosophies, practices, and procedures, and basic government administrative policies and requirements; Practical assignments providing an opportunity to apply health system administration skills and principles (as the individual progresses, work assignments must be characteristic of the grade level to which he or she is assigned); and Oversight by an experienced health system administrator with periodic evaluation of the individual's progress and appropriate adjustment of the training program. Note: A full year of work is 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited based on time spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicates the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. In addition to the above specialized experience requirements, also qualifying specialized experience includes: carrying out administrative functions, analyzing budgets, making ethical recommendations to stakeholders and facility leadership, effectively communicating current assessment of operations, as well as strategic planning, operating as a project manager, tracking data, using Lean Six Sigma or other data driven approaches to increase overall efficiency of operation and improvement studies. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Analytical ThinkingCreativity and InnovationProblem SolvingReasoningSafety EngineeringTeaches Others IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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. 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; religious; 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. 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

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address VA Western New York Healthcare System 3495 Bailey Avenue Buffalo, NY 14215 US
• Name: Sarah Cassidy
• Email: [email protected]