The incumbent serves as a Health System Specialist within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Office of Health Informatics, Clinical Informatics and Data Management Office (CIDMO), Veterans Health Information Exchange (VHIE) Program, Public Health Information Exchange. The incumbent reports directly to the VHIE Implementation Program Manager.
Summary
The incumbent serves as a Health System Specialist within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Office of Health Informatics, Clinical Informatics and Data Management Office (CIDMO), Veterans Health Information Exchange (VHIE) Program, Public Health Information Exchange. The incumbent reports directly to the VHIE Implementation Program Manager.
ALL US CITIZENS.
DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (COVID-19 - VA 005) in-accordance with 5 U.S.C. 3304(a)(3) and 5 CFR 337.205(b)(1)-(4).
Independently performs assignments involving specialized, technical health IT information including specifically with respect to public health registries.
Performs interoperability testing on systems exchanging electronic information with other systems.
Serves as an advisor to management on technical matters pertaining to public health registries; overseeing and providing periodic reviews and updates, including recommendations concerning progress toward specific project or program objectives and milestones.
Utilizes experience with public health registries health information exchange and implementation in health care, and related health data standards.
Utilizes experience with Electronic Health Record (EHR) functions including but not limited to health information exchange and other EHR tooling implementation, quality measures/management and reporting.
Utilizes extensive knowledge, experience, and expertise in the policy, business, and technical aspects of Public Health registries and clinical data registries, standardization and interoperability, and electronic health record systems and health care activities as well as organizational and analytical abilities.
Plans, develops, implements and manages numerous projects that support and enable VHA's effort to exchange patient health data with Federal, State/Jurisdictional and Local Public Health registries and clinical data registries, to inform VA clinical decision making and improve the health of the population at large.
Develops, implements, and manages numerous public health registry projects, including those pertaining to health registry adoption and implementation, which examine both business process and technical issues.
Leads groups in the development, documentation, verification, validation, and prioritization of processes in support of public health registries, public health information exchange, electronic lab result, and surveillance reporting.
Supports the change management activities required to exchange patient health data with Federal, State/Jurisdictional and Local Public Health registries as required for EHR modernization through a range of project duties such as developing project or program plans, budgets, policy, contracts, and directing and coordinating numerous interoffice, inter-agency and contractor work groups and integrated product teams.
Supports organizational analysis for public health registries implementation and its impacts, and other key organizations or programs or a major national mission or function relevant to knowledge management, clinical workflow, clinical efficiencies, and patient safety.
Conducts risk analysis, feasibility study, and/or trade-off analysis to develop, document, and refine functional requirements and specifications.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8am - 4:30pm Position Description Title/PD#: Health System Specialist/246350
Remote position: This is a remote position.. Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary. The work requires long periods of sitting and working on a computer terminal. It occasionally requires carrying light objects such as files, books, and paper.
Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
May serve a probationary period
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc.
Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
GS-14 grade level:
Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes:
Experience overseeing, implementing, and/or participating in Public Health Information Exchange (i.e., reporting and query) for Federal, State/Jurisdictional, and Local Public Health programs, offices, and agencies (i.e., Public Health entities). Specifically: Exchange patient health data with Federal, State/Jurisdictional, and Local Public Health registries and clinical data registries, such as immunization registries via the CDC IZ Gateway, cancer, and disease registries such as COVID-19, end-stage renal disease, Alzheimer's, and Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMP) to improve the health of the population at large. Experience developing, analyzing, evaluating, advising on, or improving studies / investigations related to aspects of healthcare delivery including standards and interoperability, information management, clinical workflow, clinical efficiencies, business requirements identification and impact, care quality, and patient safety. Experience making recommendations to senior executives regarding public health information exchange activities and processes that should be considered for further investigation and/or use within the VHA environment. Extensive knowledge of and ability to propose and direct studies that have potential to address business needs or solve existing or anticipated shortcomings in healthcare delivery.
Individual Occupational Requirements: Undergraduate or graduate level degree with a Major study in hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration -OR- progressively responsible analytical or administrative, or clinical management or supervisory experience in the health care field. This work may have been performed in an operating health care facility or a higher organizational echelon with advisory or directional authority over such facilities. Work must have involved a close working relationship with facility managers and analysis and/or coordination of administrative, clinical, or other service activities, and provided knowledge of the following: Missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems; Regulations and standards of various regulatory and credentialing groups; and Government-wide, agency; and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement.
Selective Placement Factors: This position includes Selective Placement Factors (skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet Selective Placement Factors are ineligible for further consideration. The Selective Placement Factors for this position are:
Expertise in Public Health Information Exchange programs with progressive experience and success in leading teams and projects related to health information interoperability; to include principles, methods, and techniques of analytical and evaluative work associated with interoperability of health data among Federal, State/Jurisdictional, and non-Federal health providers and databases to conduct program evaluation and improve program operations and processes with outcome-oriented measures.
Technical knowledge to exchange patient health data with Federal, State/Jurisdictional, and Local Public Health registries and clinical data registries and expertise working with healthcare data to include health informatics architecture, clinical workflow, clinical efficiencies, business requirements identification and impact, care quality, and patient safety.
Experience independently managing and integrating clinical and administrative healthcare data from diverse institutions and an understanding of HIE data standards and quality of data as it relates to those standards. "Independently working" means that the applicant might take general direction from a supervisor on methods or workload but can manage work, methods, and interaction with subject matter experts with minimal input.
You will be rated on the following competencies for this potions.
Technical Competence
Health Informatics
Clinical Informatics
Analytical Thinking
Planning and Evaluation
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.
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.
Additional information
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/.
Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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 WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Transcripts if basing qualifications on education.
Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application. Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/30/2023 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11982230.
1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
VHA Service Center - 1
6100 Oak Tree Boulevard
Independence, OH 44131
US
Next steps
After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Transcripts if basing qualifications on education.
Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application. Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/30/2023 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11982230.
1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
VHA Service Center - 1
6100 Oak Tree Boulevard
Independence, OH 44131
US
Next steps
After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
