Clarification from the agency

Open to US Citizens.

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• Utilizes Advanced Clinic Access (ACA) principles.
• Incumbent works collaboratively with the Orthopedic Telehub staff, Orthopedic Surgery staff, residents, and fellows at all VISN facilities.
• Conducts virtual and face to face clinic visits on orthopedic patients
• Works with other mid-level providers to perform preoperative history and physical exams, screen consults, conduct telephone follow up visits, follow-up on and monitor progress with preoperative clearances for surgery.
• Ensure urgent/ emergent patient care issues are addressed quickly with attending surgeon/fellow/chief resident and arrange admissions/ transfers as needed.
• Work with case manager and social worker to facilitate patient care.
• Coordinates care for patients as appropriate between orthopedic clinic, VISN, community, and primary care
• Work with the orthopedic staff to ensure utilization of clinic and OR slots.
• Previews clinics to assure appropriate scheduling and minimize no-shows.
• Screen incoming consults, triage as needed, make initial patient contact, and order and follow up any care coordination, images, tests, or referrals to surgical facilities as indicated.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Financial Discloser Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Designated and/or random drug testing required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS

United States Citizenship: Must be a U.S. citizen in accordance with VA Policy.
Education. Graduate of a training program which is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education of PA (ARC-PA) or one of its predecessor organizations. Additionally, candidates must meet one of the following:

• (1) Master's degree in any discipline; OR,
• (2) Bachelor's degree in any discipline with one year of experience as a PA.

Certification. Must have successfully passed the PA National Certifying Exam (PANCE).

• NOTE: Current and continuous certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) is no longer required for employment in VHA. (Per paragraph 3a, of the VA Handbook 5005/134 PART II APPENDIX G8, September 27, 2020 standard, the certification requirement for employees grandfathered into the occupation. 3(a). If a PA is certified by the NCCPA, but not licensed on the effective date of the qualification standard, they are not required to obtain or maintain a license to remain employed in VHA. However, if they lose or fail to maintain their NCCPA certification after this qualification standard is effective and do not possess a full, valid, and unrestricted license, they are no longer qualified for employment as a PA in VHA.).

Licensure. PAs must possess an active, current, full, and unrestricted license to practice in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. PAs must maintain current registration in the State of licensure if this is a requirement for continuing active and current licensure in that State.
Physical Requirements. Light lifting/carrying up to 50 pounds, intermittent kneeling, pushing and walking, use of fingers, both hands, gross and fine manipulation, reaching above the shoulder, and use of both legs. Will work closely with others, protracted or irregular hours of work.
English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

GRANDFATHERING PROVISION. All persons employed in VHA in this occupational series that are also performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it. Additional provisions apply.

Preferred Experience:

Ability to furnish medications.
Physician Assistant will be furnishing or ordering Schedule III-V controlled substances; he or she must have a current DEA number from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.
Basic Life Support (BLS) up to date.
Demonstrated ability to communicate verbally and in writing.
Demonstrated ability to establish effective interpersonal relationships with all levels of medical center personnel.
Demonstrated leadership ability including self-direction, problem solving, project management, and quality management.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates:

Physician Assistant-I
Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements. This is the entry level for PAs.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities(KSAs).

• Ability to utilize the principles of PA practice in the care of assigned patients to provide appropriate care.
• Ability to perform patient history and physical.
• Ability to formulate a plan and provide treatment to the patient. iv. Ability to provide patient care that is abreast of changing concepts and advancements in the profession.

Physician Assistant-II
Experience and Education. The PA at this grade is at the intermediate grade level and has had progressively increasing responsibility and experiences as indicated in the KSAs listed below. Individuals will have demonstrated the ability to analyze and solve more complex medical problems than at the entry level grade and can utilize their training in the successful practice of patient care and participate in team problem solving. Individuals demonstrate the KSAs of PA-II intermediate level by:

• Two years of successful practice as a PA. OR,
• Successful completion of a PA post-graduate residency program sponsored by VHA Office of Academic Affiliations or other postgraduate residency programs accredited by VA, ARC-PA, U.S. Armed Forces, or another accrediting agency. OR,
• A doctoral degree in a health-related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs).

• Skills to analyze and solve complex medical problems.
• Ability to function autonomously and make independent medical decisions.
• Skill to incorporate training and experience into the successful practice of patient care including telehealth medical care.
• Ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary environment for improvement of services for patient care.
• Ability to practice with colleagues and peers collaboratively.

Physician Assistant-III
Experience and Education. PAs at the PA-III grade are at the full performance level and lead and organize patient care independently, practice within multi-disciplinary teams, and coordinate all aspects of patient care across the health care system. They utilize advanced clinical knowledge and judgment in decision-making and evaluating outcomes. They function as experts in clinical practice and/or in areas related to the assigned roles and responsibilities, may serve as mentors for transitioning PAs, and may provide training for health care students. Individuals can demonstrate the KSAs for the full performance level by:

• Three years of successful practice as a PA. OR,
• Successful completion of a PA post-graduate residency program sponsored by VHA Office of Academic Affiliations or other postgraduate residency programs accredited by VA, ARC-PA, U.S. Armed Forces, or another accrediting agency and one year of professional practice as a PA. OR,
• A doctoral degree in a health-related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and one year of professional practice as a PA.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities(KSAs).

• Ability to clinically evaluate facility patient care delivery systems and validate or identify barriers to safe and effective patient care.
• Skill to consistently demonstrate an elevated level of expertise and autonomy in diagnosing and treating seriously ill, multi-symptomatic patients through facility Focused Professional Practice Evaluation (FPPE) and Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluation (OPPE).
• Ability to present clinical findings and recommendations to appropriate management officials.
• Ability to clinically facilitate the delivery of patient care in collaboration with health professionals, health managers, and other health care personnel.
• Ability to implement and initiate clinical changes to established treatment protocols based upon new medical literature research findings to enhance patient delivery care for improved patient outcomes.
• Ability to participate clinically in the development of the PA patient care audit processes involving in-depth review and analysis of medical records.

References: VA Handbook 5005/134 PART II APPENDIX G8, September 27, 2020

The full performance level of this vacancy is VN-3. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of VN-1 to VN-3.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

NOTE: A formal pay-setting process will be used to determine your salary. The salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy.

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. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.