Job opening: Program Applications Specialist
Salary: $72 037 - 93 645 per year
Published at: Nov 03 2023
Employment Type: Full-time
The incumbent serves as the integrator that coordinates the business process and software functions. The incumbent of this position provides continuous business oversight for a variety of software programs integral to the overall administration and operations of the business and effects programmatic changes at the facility level. This position is located within the Health Administration Service training team.
Duties
Duties of the position include but aren't limited to:
The incumbent coordinates ongoing data collection and performs analysis to determine optimal organizational performance. He/She uses available data to determine current performance and develops and implements local performance measures as needed to assess current status and determine areas targeted for improved effectiveness and efficiencies of Business Office practices. Develops initiatives which will enable the facility to provide quality health care to its population while operating in a more effective and efficient manner.
The incumbent performs a continuing evaluation and analysis to assess program effectiveness and to identify areas requiring management attention. Incumbent designs and develops dissemination and training materials, local standard operating procedure (SOP) manuals, develops and utilizes monitoring tools, and provides for the implementation of Business Office programs through on-site education and training. The incumbent identifies system inefficiencies and develops studies or data collection techniques related to specific identified problems. He/She coordinates with other staff to identify information needs and develops data collection methods and report formats to meet those needs. The Program Application Specialist organizes, compiles, summarizes, and analyzes the data collected and develops reports which reflect the scope of activities and identifies trends and opportunities for improvement.
Incumbent researches problems that impact the quality and efficiency of Business Office operations. He/She discusses problem areas with personnel concerned to identify and implement remedial action to be taken. He/She follows through to insure program requirements are met and planned actions have been initiated and are effective. The incumbent recommends and implements amendment of business office programs where necessary.
The incumbent is responsible for the coordination, planning, implementation, and training for service and facility staff in business and functional areas for various information technology VISTA packages, e.g. ADT (Admissions/Discharge/Transfer); Scheduling; PTF (Patient Treatment File); Medical Record Tracking; Fee Basis; PDX (Patient Data Exchange); HINQ (Hospital Inquiry); AMIEII/IBBA (Intranet BDN/BIRLS Access); IB (Integrated Billing); AMIE (Automated Medical Information Exchange); Discharge Summary; PCE (Patient Care Encounter and Visit Tracking); ACRP (Ambulatory Care Reporting); Network Health Exchange among others.
The incumbent serves as the functional "expert" for matters relating to the Patient Information Management System (PIMS) core package. Additionally, the incumbent provides training on other service packages, such as Pharmacy, Radiology, Laboratory, and Health Summary, as they relate to the business office process. The incumbent provides training and troubleshooting for clinical and administrative staff in business processes and associated supporting software. Provides training for individual users on daily operational tasks and trains new users. Trains service employees and facility employees in the use of PIMS programs, such as scheduling, to ensure that data is entered correctly and optimizes clinic utilization. Training consists of development and presentation of both formal lectures and on-the-job sessions to those employees who will be entering, changing and extracting data. Trains users in resolving minor processing and equipment problems. The incumbent maintains reference material for the service.
The incumbent plans initiatives for hardware and software needs for the service. The incumbent is responsible for the preparation and implementation of the business contingency plans for system failure specifically addressing manual system backup plans addressing how day to day business will be conducted for long and short-term outages. Responsible for determining the physical and data security needs for the service areas and implements necessary improvements. Assesses individual needs to determine appropriate level of menu access for staff, Regional Office employees, and employees from VISN VA facilities.
Work Schedule: To be determined by the service line.
Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Program Applications Specialist/PD13273A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/11/2023.
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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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 and/or education as described below:
Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: data collection and analysis, developing studies and data collection methods, developing initiatives, developing SOPs and manuals, coordinating, planning and implementing training.
OR,
Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree
or
3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree
or
LL.M., if related.
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 a the first two years of a graduate degree. For example, An applicant has 9 months of specialized experience equivalent to GS-9 and 2 1/2 years of creditable graduate level education. The applicant meets 75 percent of the required experience and 50 percent of the required education, i.e., the applicant has 1/2 year of graduate study beyond that required for GS-9. Therefore, the applicant exceeds the total requirement and is qualified for the position. (The applicant's first 2 years of graduate study are not qualifying for GS-11.)
Preferred Experience: Training experience, leading a class, providing on-the-job training creating agendas, presending in front of a group. TMS administrator knowledge.
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
Administration and ManagementComputer SkillsEducation and Training
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 nature of the work is primarily sedentary though some standing, walking, lifting and typing may be required.
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.
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 Carl T Hayden Veterans' Administration Medical Center
650 East Indian School Road
Phoenix, AZ 85012
US
- Name: Traci Strong
- Phone: 503-610-0897
- Email: [email protected]
Map