About the position: Serves as an Attorney-Adviser (General) in the Defense Health Agency, Office of General Counsel in San Antonio, TX. Please note: This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer with competitive status.

Duties

Serve as legal advisor to the credentials committees, privileging authorities, peer review hearings and throughout due process procedures on credentialing, privileging, adverse privileging, and removal from practice of health care providers. Provide legal guidance, assistance, support, and review of all clinical adverse actions for compliance with legal due process and adherence to regulatory provisions from inception to completion. Advise on controversial and complex medico-legal and bioethical topics such as living wills, advance directives, mental health and command-directed mental health evaluations, and informed consent for medical treatment. Serve as a legal advisor to the risk managers, patient safety managers, and physician advisor for performance improvement and others involved in quality and manage the claims aspects of the Military Treatment Facility Risk Management Program. Review health care related policies and forms for legal sufficiency and compliance. Provide legal advice and training to staff and trainees on medical-legal issues of a wide range of topics including but not limited to professional liability, developing trends in medical-legal litigation, claims processes, adverse actions. Advise on protections afforded to private information under the Privacy Act of 1974, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and other privacy laws and regulations. Render opinions on government ethics topics, including, but not limited to: use of government resources, financial disclosure program, post-government employment, and related issues. Serve as the primary legal advisor on formal legal relationships with Government and civilian medical institutions. Serve as an ethics counselor and provide advice on criminal conflict of interest statutes and the Standards of Conduct regulation. Responsible for guiding staff in management of the Financial Disclosure Management (FDM) program in accordance with the law and regulation. Review informed consent provisions of research protocols for legal adequacy and completeness and drafts revised provisions when necessary.

Requirements

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a SECRET security clearance.
• Approximately 5% travel may be required.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens Applicants will be evaluated to determine if they meet the minimum qualification requirements and on the extent to which their application shows possession of the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) associated with the position: Skill in identifying legal issues and conducting relevant legal research within Administrative Law or Health Law. Skill in oral and written advocacy. Ability to effectively, professionally, and ethically manage a heavy caseload of clients with complex legal needs. Skill advising on complex programs or as legal counsel within the healthcare field. Skill in duties that involve advising agency officials on protections afforded to private information under the Privacy Act of 1974, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA), and other laws and regulations. NOTICE OF VETERAN'S PREFERENCE: There is no formal rating system for applying veteran's preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Defense Health Agency considers veteran's preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veteran's preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documents (e.g., DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active duty) to their submissions. Although the point-preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim a 10-point preference must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed. (SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preference and the required supporting documents, is available from the Office of Personnel Management Website at http://www.opm.gov/). TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENTS: If currently employed as an attorney by the Federal Government must have completed 52 weeks at the next lower grade level within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement, or previously served at the same or higher grade as the position being filled. Time-in grade may be waived for current federal employees at management's discretion. The following minimum qualification requirements must be met before applicants are eligible for further consideration: Education: An applicant must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have the first professional law degree (LLB or JD). Bar membership: Applicant must currently be a member in good standing of the Bar of a state, territory or commonwealth of the United States (e.g., American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), or the District of Columbia. Document should be dated within three (3) months of the date the application is submitted. Experience Required: Applicant must have three (3) or more years of professional legal experience, acquired after being admitted to the bar, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position.

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Contacts

• Address KF-DHA-DDAAFC DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY HQ DO NOT MAIL Falls Church, VA 22042 US
• Name: Army Applicant Help Desk