This position serves as a Telecommunications Specialist and assists with operations of up to 50 spoke sites with the Regional Telehealth Service having approximately 112 FTEE, and is located in Atlanta, GA, and reports directly to the Regional Telehealth Service Administrator.

Duties

Major duties for this position may include (but are not limited to): Provides technical expertise in the field of health care planning and systems redesign using technology to maximize functions. Manages critical operations of all telehealth technical programs for VISN 7 and acts as the Project Manager for major deployments, upgrades, retrofits, or refresh projects for CVT, and SFT technologies and applications within VISN 7 and the VISN 7 Telehealth Hub. Manages new telehealth equipment pilots to include: Telehealth technology equipment review, testing, configuration, installation, and verification of equipment. Manages projects that can exceed $1M in bi-annual expenditures. Develops guiding processes and policies for the development and implementation of telehealth technologies throughout VISN 7. Implements telehealth technical support and resolution of issues throughout VISN 7 and to that end, collaborates with VHA and OIT agency-wide stakeholders. Develops mechanisms to evaluate and monitor the quality, safety, efficiency, utilization, productivity, and effectiveness of telehealth technologies. Identifies trends and issues of concern regarding clinical care and performance activities. Collaborates with telehealth program staff at VA Central Office, Regional, VISN, and facility levels to explore, develop, and deploy potential telehealth technical solutions. Develops, refines, implements, and evaluates short-and-long-term strategic plans for Telehealth Technologies. Advises stakeholders, including VISN Leadership, VISN OIT, and Healthcare Technology Management, and VISN telehealth staff members on procedures, process, methods, or approaches in areas of strategic planning and development of telehealth technical services. Recommends to the Telehealth Hub and VISN leadership adjustments to telehealth echnical policies, programs, projects and studies to resolve problems and to improve operations and efficiencies. Oversees compliance of telehealth technology guidelines and technical processes as outlined in National and VISN policies. Monitors utilization, fiscal impact, challenges, and outcomes of telehealth technologies, analyzes findings, and shares analysis with executive leadership for continual quality improvement. Responsible for ensuring VISN telehealth technologies comply with VACO Telehealth Service Conditions of participation and external accreditation processes/accrediting standards. Creates and generates RTS device utilization and availability reports, as required for the RTS Administrator and VISN Leadership. Coordinates with OIT and HTM to troubleshoot telecommunication issues and quickly correct them to minimize disruptions to patient care encounters. Serves as the technical SME and technical team leader on the setup, configuration, maintenance, repair, and testing of all telehealth equipment and services for VISN 7. Develops a network-wide emergency and disaster contingency plan which incorporates National, Network, and local standards for VISN 7. Reviews proposals for adequacy and vendor ability to perform, and/or to monitor vendor performance in fulfilling contractual requirements. Develops procedures and systems for establishing, operating, and assessing the effectiveness of operations of Telehealth Programs managed by RTS. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM 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. Selected applicant will work predominantly from home, but is expected to live within commuting distance of the Atlanta VA Healthcare System, and will be tasked with attending meetings and traveling to attend to equipment setup and correction at all VISN 7 facilities and Community Based Outreach Clinic (CBOC) locations. Position Description/PD#: Telecommunications Specialist/PD50840A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 01/29/2024. 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-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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 as described below: 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: Accomplishing work processes through the use of telecommunications devices, methods, services, and facilities. Reviewing, analyzing, and resolving difficult, changing cofigurations of complex telecommunications problems. Utilize extensive knowledge of VA policies, procedures, and technical data to evaluate alternative approaches for satifying communications requirements and varying configurations. Defining, coordinating, planning and satifying telehealth patient requirements, such as data transfers, video connectivity and health monitoring. Experience in the principals and techniques of telehealth technologies used in VHA such as CVT, SFT, and HT. Experience communicating with all levels of leadership via oral, written, and presentation methods. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Organizational StewardshipProject ManagementTechnical CompetenceWriting 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: Bending and carrying of light items such as computers and other forms of technology may also be required. The work is primarily sedentary. However, periodic walking, lifting, and standing may be required to accomplish work assignments. The employee may sit comfortably to perform some portions of the work. The work environment involves everyday risks of discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, meeting and training rooms, libraries, and residences or commercial vehicles. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. 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

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Contacts

• Address Atlanta VA Medical Center 1670 Clairmont Road Decatur, GA 30033 US
• Name: Emerson Mitchell
• Phone: 214-857-3991
• Email: [email protected]