The incumbent serves as an Integrated Clinical Community (ICC) Health System Specialist (HSS) and reports to the VISN 2 Chief Medical Officer. The primary purpose of this position is to provide administrative leadership and implement complex administrative activities of the ICC functions.

Duties

Major Duties: Works with VISN Executive Leadership Team (ELT), VISN staff, VISN ICC Directors, VISN ICC Medical Directors, facility ELT, facility ICC leadership and ICC staff to obtain data required to drive the use of analytic decision making in support of an inclusive, integrated, accessible, and streamlined high-quality health care delivery system to the veteran patients and their families served throughout VISN. Conducts management surveys, audits, special projects, site visits, etc. and provides expert advisory and consultative services to operating or management officials. Program study assignments involve operations and functions of significant complexity with extensively interrelated health care programs throughout the VISN. Develops and prepares internal instructions, operating policies, procedures, guidelines, etc. concerning assigned programs and recommends required policy changes and procedural adjustments to ensure proper and adequate accomplishment of major health care program goals and objectives. Ensures alignment with VISN and VHACO policies and procedures as well as external regulatory requirements. The incumbent provides advisory services to all levels of VISN 2 and HCS and VAMC management regarding the requirements and implications of the ICC initiatives. He/she provides advice to operating managers and supervisors on ICC improvement tools (derived from general systems theory, the theory of constraints, queuing theory, Lean thinking, Six Sigma, etc.) that can assist in accomplishing the departmental missions and programmatic objectives of the VISN and its 5 HCS and 4 VAMCs. The incumbent identifies the appropriate target audiences for each training opportunity and encourages participation of designated HCS and VAMC staff. He/she develops an ongoing ICC education and communication program to include staff, physicians, house staff, veteran service organizations and Veterans. The incumbent acts as a resource person in planning, reviewing, or revising policies and procedures that impact ICC. He/she is involved in training and facilitation of performance improvement teams, the use of relevant tools and statistical processes and the use of VHA databases; establishes effective relationships within the VISN and VAMC/HCS through participation in organizational and committee structures. Supports the ICCs in the development and execution of tactics in the VHA Modernization and Operational Plan as indicated. Taking responsibility and initiative, sets and meets priorities, follows through on commitments, safeguards information, and organizes and uses time and resources to achieve desired results. Investigates and analyzes potential or realized adverse clinical operations, trends or conditions and initiates/recommends corrective action and follow-through. Performs budget execution functions for the ICC which are consistent with formulated budget plans. Keeps track of approved budget and submits required reports for any assigned ICC fund control points. Formulates ICC budget requests for coming fiscal year and ensure budget is executed in accordance with applicable laws, regulations and policies. Objectives, work processes, staff needs, and funding requirements change substantially from year to year, requiring considerable re-budgeting. 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. Telework: Ad-Hoc Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist/PD21I23A Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/09/2024. 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-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. 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 must meet at least one of the Individual Occupational Requirements below: Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration; (e.g. social work, PT/OT/Speech, nursing, PA, etc). OR, Specialized Experience: 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. 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. GS-9 Qualifications- Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to at least the GS-7 level or pay band in the Federal service.) Specialized experience includes: Knowledge of VHA data systems including data and report retrieval as well as setting up customized reports. Requiring the knowledge and ability to determine the data categories to be set up, to identify sorting and calculating functions to be performed and to set up detailed functional procedures needed to enter and retrieve data in the proper format required for a variety of reports, records, briefings, etc. Knowledge of the general principles of health care management, systems and methods of organization and administration. Knowledge and ability to analyze problems and present both written and oral recommendations taking into full consideration the wide range of factors and requirements which affect the management of the health care delivery system. OR Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., in related field. GS-11 Qualifications- Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to at least the GS-9 level or pay band in the Federal service) Specialized experience includes: Knowledge and ability to analyze problems and present both written and oral recommendations taking into full consideration the wide range of factors and requirements which affect the management of the health care delivery system. Knowledge of VHA data systems including data and report retrieval as well as setting up customized reports. Requiring the knowledge and ability to determine the data categories to be set up, to identify sorting and calculating functions to be performed and to set up detailed functional procedures needed to enter and retrieve data in the proper format required for a variety of reports, records, briefings, etc. Knowledge of qualitative and quantitative techniques of analyzing and measuring the effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of program management practices. OR Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., in a related field. GS 12 qualifications- 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: Expert knowledge of analytical and evaluative methods plus a thorough understanding of how regulatory of enforcement programs are administered to select and apply appropriate program evaluation and measurement techniques in determining the extent of compliance with rules and regulations issued by the agency, or in measuring and evaluating program accomplishments. Knowledge of and demonstrated experience with analysis techniques (methods), including root cause analysis, cause and effect analysis, and failure mode and effects analysis as applied to the health care setting. Skills with information management systems to support analysis techniques, including database management, database analysis and reporting, and flowchart software. Comprehensive knowledge of the range of administrative laws, policies, regulations, and precedents applicable to the administration of one or more important public programs. Recognition of the different functions and motivations of various employees and groups in the health care delivery systems and ability to communicate effectively with each in order to gather information, present recommendations, and coordinate services. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Administration and ManagementAnalysis and Problem SolvingAudit ReportingChange ManagementCommunicationDecision Making 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. Physical Requirements: The work requires frequent travel to health care facilities or to attend various meetings, conferences or workgroups.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Biomed - Syracuse VA Medical Center 800 Irving Ave Syracuse, NY 13210 US
• Name: Emily Donnan
• Phone: 716-293-1567
• Email: [email protected]