This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Prosthetic and Sensory Aides Service (PSAS), at the Charles George VA Medical Center, in Asheville, NC. The PSAS provides comprehensive support to optimize the health and independence of the Veteran services provided within various settings, including the Veterans Integrated Service (VISNs), Inpatient Clinics, Outpatient Clinics and domiciliaries throughout the United States.

Duties

The incumbent serves as a Prosthetic Representative (Assistant Chief); sharing full responsibility with the Chief for supervising all phases of prosthetic operations. The incumbent serves as Chief of the service in the Chief's absence. The incumbent serves as an expert advisor analyzing, evaluating, planning, developing, and administering work concerned with prosthetic and sensory aids services to patients throughout the VHA. Duties include, but not limited to: Advises the VA Central Office for the development of PSAS policies and manages and provides national-level oversight to a VISN or facility PSAS program to achieve VHA's overall mission goals. Leads projects and project teams on activities related to prosthetic and sensory aid activities. Completes a variety of non-supervisory ad hoc projects and assignments personally as needed. Manages a health care program that provides home medical equipment, rehabilitation services, home oxygen, visual or hearing impairment devices, assistive technology, orthotics, or prosthetics. Serves as an Assistant Chief located at larger facilities that provide specialty services to smaller facilities and report to a PSAS Service Chief. Shares with the Chief full responsibility for managing and supervising all phases of prosthetic operations. Serves as Chief of the service in the Chief's absence. Completes human resources assignments independently, including drafting and developing functional statements, performance standards, and competencies. Makes PSAS's staff selections; assigns personnel; and provides direction to subordinate staff. Manages the training and evaluation of staff. Assesses competencies; evaluates performance; and recommends awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions. Works closely with human resources and senior management to counsel employees and initiate disciplinary actions in a timely fashion; engages in the veteran's appeal process. Oversees time and attendance and leave requests. Serves as liaison between Prosthetic Service and other departments; where typically, there are no subordinate supervisory prosthetic representatives at the facility level. Participates in the department in public relations activities, i.e. lectures, town halls, and in-services. Serves as an advisor to clinicians regarding the selection, prescription, and acquisition of prosthetic devices involving furnishing information concerning such matters as, new developments in the field of prosthetics and sources of supply for such devices. Interprets prescriptions of clinicians to make certain that proper prosthetic devices are selected for, or by, the patients. Authorizes the purchase, fabrication, or repair of prosthetic devices. Assures compliance with accrediting agency and regulatory requirements. Establishes and monitors performance and quality metrics; reviews and modifies work processes to achieve optimal efficiency and effectiveness; ensures customer satisfaction; takes corrective actions as needed. Develops and maintains a system of internal reviews that ensure service programs operate in compliance with regulatory and accrediting organizations. Gives technical and administrative advice and assistance on prosthetic problems to other facilities. Identifies and selects national CMS/ Health Care Procedural Coding System (HCPCS) codes are entered for every item purchased through and/or billed to ensure proper reporting. Conducts data analysis using the program's statistical data to prepare various VHA and PSAS reports regarding prosthetics and sensory aids. Collaborates with clinical staff and Supply Chain Management to ensure surgical implants are Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approved; Collaborates with clinical staff when devices and equipment require repair or replacement and takes necessary actions to resolve issues. Contributes to the effective utilization of resources, budgetary allocation, and fiscal management. Manages, interprets, and presents fiscal data (i.e. fund controls, contracts, and equipment expenditures), forecasts resource, and equipment needs; administers an allocated budget. Develops cost-containment measures for prosthetic equipment and services; to authorize benefit payment and reimbursement. Authorizes the purchase, fabrication, fitting, or repair of prosthetic devices. Serves as a VHA and PSAS representative on local facility committees, workgroups, and teams to address a variety of PSAS's issues, initiatives, and projects. Keeps the PSAS senior staff aware of outcomes and recommendations to enhance the program. Performs many other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00AM-4:30PM Telework: Ad-hoc; at discretion of Service Chief Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized for highly qualified applicants. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Experience and Education: Individual must meet at least one of the requirements below: Experience. One year of creditable experience that demonstrates: Knowledge of basic anatomy and medical terminology; knowledge of accounting methods; ability to research, analyze, comprehend, and apply decisions; basic knowledge of inventory management procedures; ability to use computer software packages for word processing, spreadsheet development, and database management; and ability to work independently and as a member of a team OR, Education: A bachelor's degree from an accredited educational institution AND at least 24 semester hours in course work related to health care, public administration, or business. The 24 semester hours could include but is not limited to any combination from the following fields: occupational therapy, physical therapy, kinesiotherapy, social work, psychology, prosthetics, orthotics, respiratory therapy, assistive technology, business law, leadership, healthcare, public administration, or business management. This course work may have been completed within the degree or in addition to the degree; OR, Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. English Language Proficiency. Candidates will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who are not proficient in written and spoken English. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: GS-12 Prosthetic Representative (Assistant Chief): MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Experience: At least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to perform the full range of supervisory duties, including responsibility for assignment of work to be performed; assessment of competencies; evaluation of performance; selection of staff; and recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions. Ability to analyze data and make recommendations to optimize quality, efficiency, performance, and productivity within the service. Ability to manage a health care program that provides home medical equipment, rehabilitation services, home oxygen, visual or hearing impairment devices, assistive technology, orthotics, or prosthetics. Knowledge of compliance and regulatory accrediting organizations. Ability to manage, interpret, and present fiscal data (i.e. fund controls, contracts and equipment expenditures), forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer an allocated budget. Assignments: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Assistant Chief positions are normally located at larger facilities that provide specialty services to smaller facilities and report to a PSAS Service Chief. Assignment as an Assistant Chief is restricted to those serving as a full Assistant to the Chief. Assistant Chiefs share with the Chief full responsibility for managing and supervising all phases of prosthetic operations. This person functions as the Chief of the service in the Chiefs absence. They develop and maintain a system of internal reviews that ensure service programs operate in compliance with regulatory and accrediting organizations. They contribute to the effective utilization of resources, budgetary allocation and fiscal management. He/She makes selections; assigns personnel; and provides direction to subordinate staff. They manage the training and evaluation of staff and develop local organizational policies and procedures. Serves as liaison between Prosthetic Service and other departments. Typically, there are no subordinate supervisory prosthetic representatives at the facility level. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G34, Prosthetic Representative Qualification Standard Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service, paragraph 2.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Charles George VA Medical Center 1100 Tunnel Road Asheville, NC 28805 US
• Name: Christina Trull
• Phone: 828-318-6521
• Email: [email protected]