This position is located in the Rehabilitation and Extended Care Line (RECL) at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (MEDVAMC) in Houston, Texas. The incumbent serves the RCL as a coordinator, advisor, analyst, and planner for the delivery of health care.

Duties

The Health Systems Specialist (HSS) has the principle responsibility to assist RECL leadership, managers and supervisors by fulfilling administrative duties involving complex data and analysis. Analytical skills are used for formulation, execution and projection of ongoing programs and projects. Maintains and improves health care by retrieving and analyzing data in support of the Rehabilitation and Extended Care Line (RECL). Responsible for contributing to policy and decision-making processes of importance to the RECL. Develops, prepares, coordinates, and implements long and short range policies, to include strategic planning for major initiatives in support of RECL. Conducts special analytical studies to resolve critical, programmatic, organizational, and/or functional challenges. Coordinates and analyzes internal review activities to ensure that both clinical and administrative functions are in compliance with VHA directives and standards. Tracks the flow of patients and assists with the coordination of various programs. Serve as an information source in continually briefing the Rehabilitation and Extended Care Line leadership that impacts the delivery of health care services. Serves on applicable Rehabilitation and Extended Care Line task forces and other Medical Center Committees as directed by the RECL Executive. Work Schedule: 8:00 am-4:30 pm or 8:30 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday; Subject to change based on the needs of the agency. 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#: Health System Specialist/PD70580 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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, 02/13/2024. 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. Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) Undergraduate or graduate education with a major study in hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration. OR 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 Special Provision for In-service Placement: Successful completion of an agency-sponsored on-the-job training program may be substituted for qualifying experience, provided it included a formal individualized training plan. Such a training program must have been conducted in an operating health care system and included: Assignments providing a knowledge of basic health system administration philosophies, practices, and procedures, and basic government administrative policies and requirements; Practical assignments providing an opportunity to apply health system administration skills and principles (as the individual progresses, work assignments must be characteristic of the grade level to which he or she is assigned); and Oversight by an experienced health system administrator with periodic evaluation of the individual's progress and appropriate adjustment of the training program. In addition to meeting the IOR, you must also meet the following: Specialized Experience: You must have one-year 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: Knowledge and ability to interpret and apply laws, regulations, and policies (including accrediting bodies), in order to ensure compliance. Communicate effectively, both rally (education, motivating, persuading, etc.) and in writing (policies, studies, reports, etc.), with individuals of diverse backgrounds. Experience and extensive proficiency in using a variety of computer software programs, including word processing, e-mail, Excel spreadsheets, and maintain tracking systems. Data analysis, quality management, and performance improvement tools, to analyze, evaluate, and improve program effectiveness. Provide effective leadership and assist with managing the work activities of a group of personnel. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: LearningOrganizational Performance AnalysisReading ComprehensionStrategic ThinkingTechnical Competence 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: This work is sedentary in nature. Typically, incumbent will sit to perform work functions, but there may be some walking, standing, reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling, crouching, or carrying light items. 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 Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center 2002 Holcombe Boulevard Houston, TX 77030 US
• Name: Kaitlyn Schmidt
• Phone: 319-333-6474
• Email: [email protected]