The Lead Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical) provides direct leadership to a team of Telehealth Clinical Technicians as well as leading initiatives designed to improve the delivery of care to Veterans using telehealth. The incumbent provides high level support, training, and advanced management of telehealth operations and is typically stationed at a clinical care delivery site (VA Medical Center, CBOC, VA Outreach Clinic, etc.); with duties that may require travel.

Duties

The Lead Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical) provides direct leadership to a team of Telehealth Clinical Technicians as well as leading initiatives designed to improve the delivery of care to Veterans using telehealth. The incumbent provides high level support, training, and advanced management of telehealth operations and is typically stationed at a clinical care delivery site (VA Medical Center, CBOC, VA Outreach Clinic, etc.); with duties that may require travel. Primary responsibilities of the incumbent include: maintaining certification as a telehealth preceptor in order to deliver advanced telehealth training and evaluation of the competencies of clinicians and/or less experienced telehealth staff members, supporting clinical telehealth encounters for both the patient and provider locations by serving as the telepresenter within scope of practice, functioning as an imager and data manager for telehealth store and forward applications, managing real time clinical telehealth events, providing established patient education, and providing technical and administrative support of telehealth operations. Additional responsibilities will include: evaluating telehealth operations and supporting performance improvement efforts, providing technical support to end-users, scheduling simple and complex intra-facility and inter-facility telehealth appointments, installing, configuring, maintaining, and troubleshooting technology, and performing a variety of program support duties as assigned. The Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical) might 1 be certified and function as a preceptor for Clinical Video and/or Store and Forward Telehealth Operations. The activities of the incumbent are governed in accordance with relevant VHA, VISN and facility regulations, standards, and guidance including telehealth operations manuals, guidelines, and specialty supplements. These activities shall be consistent with national, VISN, and facility level policies and procedures; and support national, VISN, and facility strategic goals. Functions or Scope of Assigned Duties: The Lead Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical) provides an array of complex and specialized duties related to leadership, staff education, technology management, as well as project and program management for all dimensions of virtual care and telehealth initiatives. In addition to lead duties, the incumbent maintains responsibility for day-to-day operation of telehealth services at the assigned location and between the assigned location and remote sites of care as well as participating in the programmatic development and advanced support of the facility-wide telehealth program. The incumbent is expected to be able to exercise independent judgement and is responsible to regularly provide oversight and guidance to other staff members and will require minimal direct supervision. This lead position functions above the full performance level and therefore requires the performance of higher-level duties which must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. The higher-level duties associated with this lead-level position may include, but are not limited to: leading a team of telehealth staff by providing guidance and technical direction relating to the telehealth program; working with the supervisor to develop assignments for team members in order to meet routine and unusual deadlines and priorities; distributing and balancing workload and tasks among employees in accordance with established workflow and/or job specialization and required rotations; serving as the work leader, monitors the status and progress of team members' work and makes day-to-day adjustments in accordance with established priorities; giving on-the-job training to new employees (local and at the CBOC sites). Instructing employees in specific tasks and job techniques, making available written instructions and reference materials for use by team members in the accomplishment of tasks or projects; monitoring and reporting on the status and progress of work to ensure that the supervisor's instructions on work priorities, methods, deadlines and quality have been met; providing information to the supervisor concerning promotions, reassignment, recognition of outstanding performance, and personnel needs. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Position Title/Functional Statement #: Lead Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical)/000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: Citizen of the United States. After a determination is made that it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens, non-citizen personnel may be appointed on a temporary basis under authority of 38 USC 7405, without regard to the citizenship requirements of 38 USC 7402 or any other law prohibiting the employment of or payment of compensation to a person who is not a citizen of the United States. Candidates must meet all other requirements for the grade and position concerned. English Language Proficiency: A candidate will not be appointed under authority of 38 USC chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is 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: In addition to meeting the basic requirement for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Lead Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical), GS-08 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade GS-07. Examples of experience include but not limited to: Sampling techniques, taking measurements at various points in the telehealth process; and develop and provide reporting procedures that identifies and analyzes inherent weaknesses in work and telehealth procedures. The incumbent will coordinate and work with Biomed and IT staff for the installation and upgrade of hardware and software for all telehealth technologies; will be responsible for advanced telehealth technical support to patients, staff and providers; provides technical consultation and support for staff and patients via phone, web chat, social media and face to face sessions; provides instructions, training, and resources on the use of advanced telehealth technologies to patients, staff and providers alike for the delivery of care using telehealth technologies. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSA's: Ability to work with a team to provide technical guidance, plan, organize and coordinate activities of a Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical) in order to effectively complete job duties of assignment such as distributing workload, monitoring the status and progress of work, monitoring accuracy of work. Skill in leadership and interpersonal relations and conflict resolution to deal with employees, team leaders, providers, and managers. Ability to communicate effectively in order to meet program objectives. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels. Knowledge of quality control and assurance procedures and principles of performance improvement. Skill in the assessment and resolution of complex workload capture issues using multiple data sources. Ability to develop and compose complex written instructions. Knowledge of analytical and evaluative processes to independently resolve complex issues Preferred Experience: Minimum two years of Telehealth equipment experiences. Experience in Telehealth equipment management and installation. Certification as a telehealth preceptor or Master Preceptor for one of more telehealth programs Clinical Video Telehealth (CVT), Store and Forward Telehealth (SFT), Home Telehealth (HT). Two years of experience operating, maintaining, and troubleshooting telehealth equipment and technology. Experience as an Automated Data Processing Application Coordinator (ADPAC). Physical Requirements: Physical Requirements: The work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing, bending, reaching, crouching, stooping, stretching, and lifting moderately heavy items such as manuals, record boxes, equipment or assisting patients. The work requires above average agility and dexterity. The incumbent may be required to travel between VA and/or Non-VA clinical care sites and possession of a valid driver's license may be required. References: VA Handbook 5005/96, Part II, Appendix G50, Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical), GS-0640.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-08. Computer Security Requirement: Protects printed and electronic files containing sensitive data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, Federal regulations, VA statutes and policy, and VHA policy. Protects the data from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion. Follows applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc. Computer Security Requirement: Protects printed and electronic files containing sensitive data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, Federal regulations, VA statutes and policy, and VHA policy. Protects the data from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion. Follows applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc.

Education

(1) Experience: One year of experience in a health care field that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work such as but not limited to a medical or clinical assistant (or technician) or health technician. OR
(2) Education: Four academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation. OR
(3) Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable. Examples are listed below:
(a) Six months of experience in the health care field and two years of education above high school that included at least six semester hours in health care related courses such as, biological science, surgical technician courses, nursing assistant or other courses related to the position; or an associate's degree in a health care related field; or (b) Six months of experience in the health care field and successful completion of a course for health care technicians, hospital corpsmen, or medical service specialists given by the U.S. Armed Forces.

Certification: None

Grandfathering Provision:
All Health Technicians (Telehealth Clinical) 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. 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) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman 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) If an employee who was retained (grandfathered) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.

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 Robley Rex VA Medical Center 800 Zorn Avenue Louisville, KY 40206 US
• Name: Darnell Murray
• Phone: 682-384-2211
• Email: [email protected]