The Program Specialist demonstrates leadership, experience, and creative approaches to improving patient care services through program support coordination within quality management services. This involves supporting quality management assignments in the areas of utilization review, patient safety, risk management, performance improvement, system redesign, High Reliability Organization (HRO), compliance and performance relative to accrediting and regulatory body standards, and facility goals.

Duties

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** Major duties and responsibilities include: Assists in developing and implementing programs to improve the delivery of patient care and other quality management assignments Plans and implements accreditation and regulatory functions related to performance management and quality improvement programs Participates and tracks continuous survey readiness with services, service lines, programs and medical staff functions Assists the quality management specialists in the area of performance improvement management of healthcare delivery systems Provides assistance on administrative matters related to patient care, education, and organizational policy Organizes hospital education programming as it relates to quality management strategies Facilitates management teams in planning, organizing, developing, directing and evaluating hospital performance improvement operations Develops, plans, monitors, and evaluates the effectiveness of work methods and procedures within the healthcare system Coordinates performance measurement and quality improvement programs to ensure compliance with accrediting and regulatory bodies Performs continuous survey readiness activities for applicable accreditation and regulatory bodies Resolves audit/inspection activities Utilizes quality improvement techniques across the medical center such as flow charts, Pareto charts, bar graphs Evaluates, processes, or makes recommendations for effective organizational changes Performs quantitative and qualitative analysis and evaluation regarding the effectiveness of programs or operations in meeting established goals and objectives Performs other related duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized 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. Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Requirements

Qualifications

TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION AT THE GS-9 LEVEL, YOU MUST MEET ONE OF THE FOLLOWING: Specialized Experience: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7) in Federal Service that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of a Program Specialist - Health Care Quality Management. Specialized experience is experience where you were responsible for: assisting in healthcare delivery performance and patient care improvement programs, and other healthcare quality management programs; ensuring health care operations are compliant with accrediting and regulatory bodies; evaluating the effectiveness of healthcare work methods and procedures; and performing quantitative and qualitative analysis and evaluation regarding the effectiveness of programs or operations. NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. ~OR~ Education: Successful completion of a master's degree or two (2) full years of graduate level education leading to such a degree, or an LL.B. or J.D., if related. Such education must be in a related field of study that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this Program Specialist - Health Care Quality Management. NOTE: If you select this option, you must submit a copy of your transcript (unofficial or official) with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~ Combination: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate-level education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. NOTE: If you select this option, you must submit a copy of your transcript (unofficial or official) with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Customer ServiceFlexibilityInformation ManagementManages and Organizes InformationPerformance Measurement IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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. 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; religious; 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. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary, being performed for the most part in an office setting with occasional requirements to lift, bend, and carry books, supplies and files. The individual will be required to be seated at a computer console for extended periods and be able to enter and review information displayed on a television type monitor. The employee occasionally walks to other areas of the medical center. 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

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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

Contacts

• Address Togus VA Medical Center 1 VA Center Augusta, ME 04330 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]