The incumbent serves as a Prosthetic Representative (Service Chief) managing and supervising the full range of all phases of prosthetic operations, including supervising staff at the Manchester VA Medical Center and VA Bedford Healthcare System. The incumbent serves as an expert advisor administering, analyzing, evaluating, planning, developing, and work concerned with prosthetic and sensory aids services to disabled patients throughout the VHA.

Duties

Serves as a Prosthetic Representative (Service Chief) completing a variety of supervisory and non­supervisory prosthetic and sensory aids assignments, projects, activities independently to meet PSASs long­ and-short term program goals. Plans, develop, and directs a Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Program at the national, VISN, or local level. Performs technical, administrative, and analytical prosthetic related assignments for the PSAS. Advises the VA Central Office for the development of PSAS policies and manages and provides national­-level oversight to a VISN or facility PSAS program to achieve VHA's overall mission goals. Leads projects and project teams on activities related to prosthetic and sensory aid activities. Completes a variety of non-supervisory ad hoc projects and assignments personally as needed. Manages a health care program that provides home medical equipment, rehabilitation services, home oxygen, visual or hearing impairment devices, assistive technology, orthotics, or prosthetics. Manages and supervises the full range and all aspects of prosthetic operations for program management, education, human resource management and supervision, and organizational stewardship for the prosthetic program. Supervises staff directly where typically there are no subordinate supervisory prosthetic representatives at the facility level. Supervises the highest level PSAS professional positions at the facility with responsibility for the professional practice of facility prosthetic and sensory aid service staff where the assignments may include managing programs at more than one facility. Assures compliance with accrediting agency and regulatory requirements. Establishes and monitors performance and quality metrics; reviews and modifies work processes to achieve optimal efficiency and effectiveness; ensures customer satisfaction; takes corrective actions as needed. Oversees and manages various areas including program management, education, and human resource management, including recruitment, and hiring, Approves and disapproves employee leave requests; monitors time and attendance; and ensures that all requests for hiring, promotions, awards, and disciplinary actions are justified and carried out according to appropriate policies and procedures. Keeps abreast of the various legal, ethical, and professional standards applicable to providing home medical equipment, rehabilitation services, home oxygen, visual or hearing impairment devices, assistive technology, or orthotics/prosthetics services. Serves as an advisor to clinicians regarding the selection, prescription, and acquisition of prosthetic devices involving furnishing information concerning such matters as, new developments in the field of prosthetics and sources of supply for such devices. Interprets prescriptions of clinicians to make certain that proper prosthetic devices are selected for, or by, the patients. Authorizes the purchase, fabrication, or repair of prosthetic devices. Maintains continuous liaison with manufacturers and dealers of prosthetic supplies, inspecting their facilities and services and participating in the award of prosthetic appliance contracts. Analyzes data and make recommendations to optimize quality, efficiency, performance, and productivity within the service. Develops and maintains a system of internal reviews that ensure service programs operate in compliance with regulatory and accrediting organizations. Gives technical and administrative advice and assistance on prosthetic problems to other facilities. Contributes to the effective utilization of resources, budgetary allocation, and fiscal management. Manages, interprets, and presents fiscal data (i.e. fund controls, contracts, and equipment expenditures), forecasts resource, and equipment needs; administers an allocated budget. Develops cost-containment measures for prosthetic equipment and services; to authorize benefit payment and reimbursement. Authorizes the purchase, fabrication, fitting, or repair of prosthetic devices. Drafts, develops, and implements new local organizational policies, directives, and procedures that are consistent with national policies, procedures, programs, and processes. Provides documents to the supervisor for final approval after the incumbent submits final, review, comments, and recommendations. Maintains awareness of requirements regarding the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations' (JCAHO) standards of care implementation. Oversees the staff completion of contracting requirements, procurement, and inventory management assignments independently to prepare and authorize purchase orders for a wide variety of prosthetic and orthotic devices. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Functional Statement #: Prosthetic Representative (Service Chief), GS-672-12, #F03175 Relocation/Recruitment Incentive: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station: Not authorized

Requirements

Qualifications

1. COVERAGE. This standard applies to all Prosthetic Representative positions in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Prosthetic Representatives perform the work of rendering prosthetic and sensory aids services to disabled patients. The work may include planning, developing, and directing a prosthetic and sensory aids program. The Prosthetic Representative works with Veterans, caregivers, vendors, and the clinical team to ensure the right devices, equipment, services, and benefits are matched with patient rehabilitative and medical needs. 2. DEFINITIONS a. Creditable Experience. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with Prosthetic Representative responsibilities. The experience is only creditable if documented in the application and verifiable through employment references and/or other means. Examples of qualifying experience include experience in a health care setting, and familiarity with home medical equipment, rehabilitation, home oxygen, visual or hearing impairment, assistive technology, orthotics, or prosthetics. b. Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to the fulltime work week. For example, one week of full-time credit is equivalent to two weeks of part-time work. c. Specialty Services. These are services that are unique to more complex facilities and require in-depth, specialized knowledge of the multiple disabilities that are associated with patients receiving medical and rehabilitative services in these specialty programs. The Prosthetic Representative needs to be aware of the different rehabilitative treatment goals and strategies that are unique to patients in these specialized programs and specific program requirements. These specialty services include, but are not limited to: (1) Prosthetic implants (biological and non-biological); (2) Blind Rehabilitation Center; (3) Orthotic and Prosthetic Laboratory; (4) Poly-Trauma Level I Center; (5) Spinal Cord Injury Center - injuries that disrupt movement, sensation, and function often, with paralysis can impact lower body, upper body, bowel and bladder; (6) Traumatic Brain Injury Center - injuries that frequently occur as part of the polytrauma spectrum in combination with other disabling conditions, such as amputations, burns, pain, fractures, auditory and visual impairments, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other mental health conditions; and (7) Driver Rehabilitation Program 3. BASIC REQUIREMENTS a. Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. b. Experience and Education. Individual must meet at least one of the requirements below. (1) Experience. One year of creditable experience that demonstrates: Knowledge of basic anatomy and medical terminology; knowledge of accounting methods; ability to research, analyze, comprehend, and apply decisions; basic knowledge of inventory management procedures; ability to use computer software packages for word processing, spreadsheet development, and database management; and ability to work independently and as a member of a team; or (2) Education. A bachelor's degree from an accredited educational institution AND at least 24 semester hours in course work related to health care, public administration, or business. The 24 semester hours could include but is not limited to any combination from the following fields: occupational therapy, physical therapy, kinesiotherapy, social work, psychology, prosthetics, orthotics, respiratory therapy, assistive technology, business law, leadership, healthcare, public administration, or business management. This course work may have been completed within the degree or in addition to the degree; or (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. c. English Language Proficiency. Candidates will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who are not proficient in written and spoken English. d. Physical Requirements. Pre-placement and periodic physical examinations are required for hybrid occupations to ensure workers are placed in positions where they can perform the essential functions of their job including their physical, mental and emotional capacities, without endangering their health or the health of their co-workers. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: GS-12 Prosthetic Representative (Service Chief) (a) Experience. At least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of legal, ethical, and professional standards applicable to providing home medical equipment, rehabilitation services, home oxygen, visual or hearing impairment devices, assistive technology, or orthotics/prosthetics services. 2. Ability to manage, interpret, and present fiscal data (i.e. fund controls, contracts and equipment expenditures), forecast resource and equipment needs and administer an allocated budget. 3. Ability to manage a health care program that provides home medical equipment, rehabilitation services, home oxygen, visual or hearing impairment devices, assistive technology, orthotics, or prosthetics. 4. Ability to perform the full range of supervisory duties, including responsibility for assignment of work to be performed; assessment of competencies; evaluation of performance; selection of staff; and recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions. (c) Assignments. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. At this level, the Service Chief has full responsibility for managing and supervising all aspects of prosthetic operations and is the highest level professional position, at the facility, with responsibility for the professional practice of facility prosthetic and sensory aid service staff. Assignments may include managing programs at more than one facility. The Service Chief has full management and supervisory responsibility for program management, education, human resource management and supervision, and organizational stewardship for the prosthetic program. They are responsible for all supervisory functions including recruitment and hiring. He/she approves and disapproves employee leave requests; monitors time and attendance; and ensures that all requests for hiring, promotions, awards and disciplinary actions are justified and carried out according to appropriate VA Human Resources policies and procedures. Typically, there are no subordinate supervisory prosthetic representatives at the facility level. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/94, PART II, APPENDIX G34, dated January 18, 2018 Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary but also demands standing, walking, bending, twisting, and carrying light items. This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued sitting, with intermittent bending, pulling, and pushing. Movement between work areas within the health care system is expected. Lifting and carrying of objects up to 25 pounds may be required.

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

Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the United States must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials, and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to experience gained in conventional United States programs.

Contacts

• Address Manchester VA Medical Center 718 Smyth Road Manchester, NH 03104 US
• Name: Jonathan Montgomery
• Phone: 734-905-2529
• Email: [email protected]