This position reports to the Ambulatory Care Operations Director (ACOD)/Group Practice Manager (GPM). The incumbent provides assistance and support to the ACOD/GPM, all ambulatory care services in the facility and related Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) as it relates to access to care as applicable. They are responsible for Primary Care, Mental Health, Surgery, Medicine or Ancillary ambulatory clinics oversight and integration into an efficient Clinic Practice Management (CPM) model.

Duties

Program Responsibilities Provides access related consultative services, working in collaboration with facility Service Lines, to review and develop guidance and policies that will facilitate standardized processes within the facility and applicable CBOCs, etc. Review and provide input on regulations and policies for local interpretation, utilizing local group practice management and communication strategies. Reviews and evaluates assigned processes and procedures to determine areas of effectiveness, efficiency, and improvement for proposal through local GPM group and supervisor. Promotes established system-wide training plans to optimize local use. Supports the local clinic management system based on national requirements. Veteran Experience Responsibilities Works with Veteran Experience Officers within the local facility to evaluate patient and family concerns regarding the access to services needed. Aligns local processes with planning and policies at higher levels. Identifies, defines and prioritizes customer service tools with assignments. Implements process improvement and training opportunities that support frontline employees in providing predictable, consistent and comfortable customer service experiences for Veterans, their caregivers and beneficiaries. Assists in the evaluation of outpatient care patient feedback for access and quality measures at the facility. Collaborates with the Veterans Experience, clinic management, scheduling, and analytic groups. Project Administration Utilizes advanced principles and strategies for access improvement to review and provide recommendations to Clinical Leads (CLs), including identifying strategies to reduce backlog. Works with local personnel to integrate data analytics and measures with continuous process improvement utilizing LEAN, Six Sigma, and other improvement methodologies to meet and sustain ambulatory care goals and objectives. Monitors existing or emerging workflow issues; monitors consult management issues and provide guidance to CLs and Administrative Leads (ALs) when required. Monitors Information Technology (IT) usage and issues and provide information or assistance to CLs as needed. Incorporates process improvement based upon knowledge of VHA's and local organizational philosophy, policies and management principles. Works independently with personnel at the facility, CBOCs, etc., to implement local, national and VISN standards, and reports or addresses administrative process/system issues and other areas of concern. Provides recommendations on facility improvements including construction, renovation, space utilization and purchase of equipment, as assigned. Budget Guidance Assists clinic managers in forecasting the impact of staff changes and developing countermeasures to mitigate the effect of staff shortages on access to care. Works closely with clinic managers to formulate budget recommendations for all outpatient clinical services in order to allocate all available resources to achieve optimal outcomes in access to care and the Veteran Experience. Performs cost analysis and cost effectiveness studies in order to determine make/buy decisions to address gaps. Monitors, and makes recommendations to adjust plans to effectively and cost-efficiently accomplish the mission within budgetary constraints. Office Program Planning Work Evaluates and monitors administrative activities and make substantive recommendations for program improvements. Provides administrative program advice for ambulatory care clinical support services. Assists and/or supports clinical and administrative leads in implementing actions designed to improve operations. Implements established action plans that will enable clinical grids to accurately reflect supply. Liaison and Communications Acts as a liaison or point person for communications with persons and/or groups internal or external to the facility, representing Group Practice Management on clinical access issues. May act as a representative of ambulatory care management and the Chief of Staff with appropriate professional groups and administrative staff in an effort to coordinate activities and resolve any problems. Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: 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#: Health System Specialist/PDS0022-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/05/2023. 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-9, and for the GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11 (This does not apply to Wage Grade employees). 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: GS-11 Basic Requirement 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: 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. 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 You MUST submit legible transcripts if you are using education to qualify OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education with: a combination of successfully completed post-graduate education beyond the educational requirement for GS-09 level (master's or equivalent graduate degree), and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements for the grade level specified, and this is computed by first determining the total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level, then determining the education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. ***(The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grade GS-11).***You MUST submit legible transcripts if you are using education to qualify. GS-12 Basic Requirements Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: providing operations oversight of ambulatory care services to assigned services as it relates to access to care as applicable; responsible for primary care, mental health, specialty care; ambulatory surgery and all other ambulatory clinics oversight and integration into an efficient Clinic Practice Management (CPM) model at the assigned facility and related; responsible for supporting high quality, accessible, cost effective health care services; responsible for ensuring a high-quality patient experience for the Veteran, by acting on feedback from the Veteran, his or her family and/or significant others, VAMC employees, and expert clinical staff; work with the GPM and the VAMC Pentad to develop strategic plans for the facility and assigned facilities as it relates to access to care. measure and assess clinical business activities with an emphasis on improving clinical product line performance; development, standardization, implementation, and sustainment of key operational/business processes, including scheduling practices, to ensure efficient and effective management of the clinic; identify and implement improvements to optimize clinic management processes, access strategies, and "make-buy" decisions through an in-depth analysis of in-house and non-VA provided care for the assigned facility. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Analytical ThinkingChange ManagementConflict ManagementInterpersonal SkillsVeteran and Customer Focus 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: Performance of the incumbent's duties may require extensive walking per day to meet with the facility managers and other clinic personnel. Trips to satellite outpatient clinics are sometimes necessary and will involve transportation via automotive vehicle. The work performed is of a precise nature requiring long periods of concentration that is often interrupted. Incumbent is often faced with changing priorities and with meeting deadlines. Work Environment: Work is typically performed in an adequately lighted and climate-controlled office. The employee's work may require occasional travel. 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 legible 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 Pittsburgh VA Medical Center 1010 Delafield Road Pittsburgh, PA 15215 US
• Name: Amberly Betsill
• Phone: (412) 822-3105
• Email: [email protected]