An Orthotist-Prosthetist at this level must have analytical ability, social awareness, tact and diplomacy, and good communication skills. He/she must possess knowledge of established management principles, concepts and methodology to identify, analyze and resolve managerial and administrative issues or problems of a procedural or factual nature.

Duties

Functions: 1. Follows established regulations and procedures to insure patient privacy on a VISN level. 2. Identifies biomechanical conditions. 3. As a VISN resource/consultant, conducts gait analysis, range of motion, coordination and balance, motor skills, and clinical assessment studies in accordance with occupational principles for unusual conditions, multiple complex interrelated conditions, etc. 4. Interviews patients to determine expectations, lifestyle, home/work environment, ability to use the device. 5. As a VISN resource/consultant, takes necessary measurements, casts or scans to develop positive molds of the affected area of the body, which are used to create orthoses and/or prostheses. 6. Recognizes physical abnormalities, deviations, and complicating conditions with potentially life threatening implications. 7. As a VISN resource/consultant, assesses patient for indications/contra-indications of appropriate treatment protocols and discusses the assessment with the physician/requesting provider for purposes of developing the overall treatment plan. Has considerable influence in the development of the plan. 8. Considers new and emerging technologies in designing unique or innovative devices to accommodate or treat a wide range of complex medical conditions, which include unusual problems or complications. 9. As a VISN resource/consultant, considering the information developed through the assessment as well as time management work load considerations, designs custom devices using standard components to optimize patient performance for difficult and complex conditions; may include CAD/CAM systems. 10. Selects materials and components to be used in fabrication of the device and determines appropriate equipment to be used in fabrication of the device on a VISN level. 11. Fabricates components, or selects and modifies components, and assembles these into the finished device. Uses CAD/CAM system as appropriate in this process and performs preliminary alignment. Manages and Administers CAD/CAM operation for the VISN as a Clinical Fabrication facility; overseeing these systems 12. Fits device on patient, assures preliminary alignment, and performs subsequent dynamic alignment. 13. As a VISN resource/consultant, assesses and/or modifies fit and function of the device as fabricated and makes appropriate modifications to insure optimum patient outcome. 14. Evaluates patient's ability to don/doff the device provides training to the patient and/or caregiver in its use and maintenance. This may also include training the clinical staff. 15. Explains procedures and processes to the patient to reduce anxiety and gain support and cooperation in all stages of the process. 16. Maintains the patient's record, including the electronic record, in accordance with established JCAHO/ABC/BOC regulatory guidelines for records. 17. Attends professional and manufacturer's training seminars. 18. Completes mandatory training per hospital requirements. 19. Maintains professional credentials and/or competency (ABC/BOC). 20. Observes appropriate, established infection control guidelines. 21. Follows environmental and occupational safety guidelines. 22. As a VISN resource/consultant communicates and interacts with physicians, allied health professionals, patient and caregiver in various interdisciplinary clinical settings as a subject matter expert to develop the O/P treatment plan. (PM&R, Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, vascular, podiatry, oncology, etc.). 23. As a VISN resource/consultant communicates and interacts with physicians, allied health professionals, patient and caregiver in various interdisciplinary clinical settings as a subject matter expert to develop the O/P treatment plan. (PM&R, Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, vascular, podiatry, oncology, etc.). 24. On a VISN level, provides guidance and direction to lower graded O/P staff. 25. Manages the daily operations of a Large Lab or VISN Labs. 26. As a VISN resource/consultant, plans clinical schedule for Orthotics and Prosthetics. 27. As a VISN resource/consultant, conducts site surveys of commercial vendors to insure vendor regulatory compliance. 28. As a VISN resource/consultant, evaluates the ability of a vendor to provide a product. 29. On a VISN level, is responsible for accreditation compliance. 30. As a VISN resource/consultant, develops short & long range plans/goals for the lab in accordance with local, VISN, Headquarters direction. 31. Develops budget plan for lab. 32. As a VISN resource/consultant, manages inventory of stock items, fabrication materials, and components. 33. Assures safe workplace considering environmental concerns, OSHA/JCAHO regulations. 34. Conducts quality assurance activities Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible:Not available Telework: Available Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• 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 Department of Veterans Affairs Personnel

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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. Education (1) A bachelor's degree or higher in orthotics and prosthetics from a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredited program. OR, (2) A bachelor's degree or higher in any major along with a post-graduate orthotics or prosthetics certificate from a CAAHEP accredited program. Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign degree programs must have proof of a minimum of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (or foreign equivalent, as verified through an independent credential evaluation company), with a specialization in orthotics and prosthetics. Board Certification. Candidates must be board certified by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC) or the Board for Orthotist/Prosthetist Certification (BOC) as an orthotist, prosthetist, or orthotist/prosthetist. The board certificate must be current and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirements for continuing education. Certification as a technician, pedorthist, assistant or fitter does not meet this requirement. Physical requirement: pre-employment physical required. English Language Proficiency in spoken and written English. 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). Grandfathering Provision. Orthotists, prosthetists, or orthotist/prosthetists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (1) Orthotists, prosthetists, or orthotist/prosthetists that do not meet the basic requirements for education and certification may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (2) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. (3) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or certification that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. (4) If an employee who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: GS-13 (a) Experience. Completion of 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSA and demonstrate the potential to acquire the assignment[1]specific KSAs designated by an asterisk (*): 1. Knowledge of regulatory requirements established by ABC, BOC, NCOPE, IAOP, AAOP, JCAHO, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMMS), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), etc., in order to provide advice to VISN management of the implementation of those requirements. *2. Knowledge of administrative functions including budget development and management, inventory management, space and workload planning, as well as knowledge of the National Prosthetic Patient Database, a knowledge of the Prosthetic National Software package, CPRS, DSS and knowledge of accreditation requirements for orthotic and prosthetic laboratories and knowledge of certification requirements for clinical staff in order to develop VISN guidelines and policies, allocate resources within the VISN, and project future workload for the VISN. *3. Ability to analyze data and provide reports using HCPC codes and other patient database information from VISN orthotic and prosthetic laboratories and to provide such reports to VISN management. *4. Ability to serve as a consultant to orthotists/prosthetists within the VISN on emerging technologies, the most difficult and complex cases, changes in policy, etc. *5. Ability to supervise. Supervisory Orthotist/Prosthetist. The orthotist/prosthetist at this level serves as the supervisor and laboratory manager for large laboratories or multiple satellite laboratories. In addition to the responsibilities described at the GS-12 level, this assignment includes serving as a VISN resource/consultant for orthotics and prosthetics; performing or overseeing testing and evaluation of design concepts; overseeing and evaluating contract orthotics and prosthetics vendors References: VA Handbook 5005/91, Part II, Appendix G32 dated March 21, 2017. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-13 only. Physical Requirements: Pre-employment physical required.

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 Corporal Michael J Crescenz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 3900 Woodland Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19104 US
• Name: William Simmons
• Phone: (717) 272-6621 X4024
• Email: [email protected]