The general responsibility of the Non-Supervisory Orthotist-Prosthetist with the Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System (NWIHCS) Orthotics, Prosthetics, Pedorthics Clinical Service (OPPCS) is to provide the most complex clinical and laboratory prosthetic and orthotic services to patients.

Duties

Duties may include: Assuring accreditation of the laboratory, regulatory compliance and a variety of administrative duties such as budget development, managing inventory and resources, overseeing contract employees, planning the orthotic and prosthetic schedule, conducting site surveys of commercial vendors, devising short and long range goals in accordance with local, VISN, and VHA central office direction; and conduction quality assurance activities, etc. Developing knowledge of the administrative functions including budget development and management, inventory management, space and work load planning, as well as knowledge of the national prosthetic patient database, national prosthetics software package, decision support system, and accreditation requirements for O&P laboratories and individuals. Analyze data and provide reports using CPRS, VISTA, DSS, HCPCS codes and other patient database information. Communicates and interacts with physicians, allied health professionals, patients, and caregivers in various interdisciplinary clinical settings, rehabilitation medicine, orthopedics, neurosurgery, vascular care, podiatry, oncology, etc. as a subject matter expert to develop the orthotic and/or prosthetic treatment plan. Conduct complex patient analysis in accordance with established procedures for patients with unusual conditions, multiple complex conditions, interrelated conditions, etc.; Perform Assessment of the patient for indications/ contraindications and discussion of the assessment with the physician / requesting provider for the purpose of developing the overall treatment plan with considerable influence in the development of that plan Consideration of new and emerging technologies in designing unique or innovative devices to accommodate or treat a wide range of complex medical conditions which include unusual problems or complications. Recognize physical abnormalities, deviations, and complicating conditions with potentially life threatening implications. Attend clinics and participate as a fully participating member of the treatment team with considerable influence in the development of the treatment plan for the most complex types of conditions. Conduct clinical patient analysis such as gait, range of motion, life-style, etc. for patients with a wide range of complex medical conditions which include unusual problems or complications, and will design unique devices to accommodate those conditions. Will be responsible for a patient load, and will complete all required documentation including VISTA, CPRS, encounters, FLOW3, and other requirements as they evolve. This may also include stock posting items delivered for inventory control, managing lab equipment inventory, placing orders using established procedures for patient specific needs, quote review from outside vendors, etc. to ensure seamless care. Will review and triage prosthetics requests daily and communicate with scheduling team as to which patients to schedule in-house vs. those to be sent to outside commercial vendors. Orthotist- Prosthetists may not select or direct veterans to a specific outside commercial partner under any circumstances as this would violate federal acquisition regulations. Perform the necessary procedures to provide custom devices to patients as prescribed by the physician. This may include but is not limited to: casting, digitizing, scanning, positive model preparation and modification, selecting appropriate materials and components, thermoforming, trimming, assembling devices, evaluating workmanship and fabrication performed by outside central fabrication facilities, ensuring structural safety and manufacturer recommendations are followed for final delivery to patients. Provide ongoing care and periodic evaluation to assure, maintain, and document optimal fit and function of prostheses, orthoses, soft goods, inserts, shoes, and compression devices provided to patients. Mentor residents as directed. Provide oversight of fitters and/ or technicians as assigned based on certification requirements. Orthotist- Prosthetists may be called upon to provide educational in-services to physician groups such as podiatry, primary care, PMRS, orthopedics, etc. or other groups as assigned. Work Schedule: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM, Monday - Friday Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education: (1) A bachelor's degree or higher in orthotics and prosthetics from a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredited program. OR, (2) A bachelor's degree or higher in any major along with a post-graduate orthotics or prosthetics certificate from a CAAHEP accredited program. Board Certification: Candidates must be board certified by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC) or the Board for Orthotist/Prosthetist Certification (BOC) as an orthotist, prosthetist, or orthotist/prosthetist. The board certificate must be current and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirements for continuing education. Certification as a technician, pedorthist, assistant or fitter does not meet this requirement. English Language Proficiency: Orthotists, prosthetists, or orthotist/prosthetists must be proficient in spoken and written as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d). May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: GS-12 Experience. Completion of 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level as an orthotist/prosthetist functioning as a full member of the clinical team which includes significant involvement in treatment plan development for the most complex types of conditions. Examples of Specialized Experience may include but not necessarily be limited to: Participated as a full member of the treatment team with considerable influence in the development of the treatment plan; Conducted clinical patient analyses such as gait, range of motion, life style etc. for patients with a wide range of complex medical conditions which include unusual problems or complications; Designed unique or innovative devices to accommodate complex/unusual patient conditions or complications; Recognized physical abnormalities, deviations and complicating conditions with potentially life threatening implications. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSA and demonstrate the potential to acquire the assignment-specific KSAs designated by an asterisk (*): 1. Knowledge of regulatory requirements established by the ABC, BOC, the National Committee for Orthotic/Prosthetic Education (NCOPE), the International Association of Orthotists and Prosthetists (IAOP), the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (AAOP), Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), etc. *2. Knowledge of administrative functions including budget development and management, inventory management, space and workload planning, as well as knowledge of the National Prosthetic Patient Database (NPPD), knowledge of the Prosthetic National Software (PNS) package, Decision Support System (DSS), and knowledge of accreditation requirements for orthotic and prosthetic laboratories and certification requirements for individuals. *3. Ability to analyze data and provide reports using CPRS, Vista, DSS, HCPCS codes and other patient database information. *4. Ability to provide training to orthotists/prosthetists in new technologies and innovations in devices. Advanced Practitioner. The orthotist/prosthetist assignment at this level is intended for smaller, independent laboratories. In addition to functions typical of the GS-11 grade level, the assignment involves responsibility for assuring the accreditation of the laboratory, regulation compliance, and a variety of administrative duties such as developing a budget; managing inventory and resources; overseeing contract employees; planning the orthotics and prosthetics clinical schedule; conducting site surveys of commercial vendors; devising short and long range goals in accordance with local, VISN, and VHA Central Office direction; and conducting quality assurance activities; etc. The orthotist/prosthetist communicates and interacts with physicians, allied health professionals, patients, and caregivers in various interdisciplinary clinical settings, rehabilitation medicine, orthopedics, neurosurgery, vascular care, podiatry, oncology, etc., as a subject matter expert to develop the orthotic and/or prosthetic treatment plan. The work includes complex patient analyses in accordance with established procedures for patients with unusual conditions, multiple complex conditions, interrelated conditions, etc.; assessment of the patient for indications/contra-indications and discussion of the assessment with the physician/requesting provider for the purpose of developing the overall treatment plan with considerable influence in the development of that plan; consideration of new and emerging technologies in designing unique or innovative devices to accommodate or treat a wide range of complex medical conditions which include unusual problems or complications. The orthotist/prosthetist at this level is expected to recognize physical abnormalities, deviations, and complicating conditions with potentially life threatening implications. Preferred Experience: NCOPE accredited Mentor Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

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/.

Contacts

• Address VA Nebraska-Western Iowa HCS - Omaha 4101 Woolworth Avenue Omaha, NE 68105 US
• Name: Justin Hillard
• Phone: (612) 842-9425
• Email: [email protected]