Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to current, permanent employees of the VA Black Hills Health Care System only. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

The HBPC Program Director is responsible for directing the program's clinical and administrative services to ensure that the plan complies with local and VHA standards and policies as well as accreditation standards for home care organizations. He/she is responsible for the development and continued effective functioning of the interdisciplinary health care team. The PA-IV recognizes and utilizes the skills, knowledge, and contributions of each of their team members. He/she collaborates with the HBPC Medical Director for daily program management. He/she collaborates with other HBPC program Directors, Veteran Integrated Service Network VISN) leadership, and VA Central Office staff regularly. He/she is responsible for interpreting and communicating VA policies to the HBPC team and the VHA facility. He/she is also responsible for communicating and interpreting non-VA national, state, and local home care policies and facilitates coordination and communication with non-VA care providers when necessary. He/she is responsible for the HBPC team development and implementation of local HBPC policies and procedures to include performance improvement, patient safety, utilization review, emergency preparedness, and staff safety. He/she is responsible for evaluating the program's effectiveness and ensuring effective/efficient resources are maintained. He/she assures the program can optimize cost-effectiveness (budget) and patient outcomes.

As a leading member of the Home-Based Primary Care Service, he/she participates in the formulation of overall service/program policies and procedures, goals, objectives, strategic planning, cost- effectiveness, and quality monitoring. He/she collaborates with the HBPC Medical Director to manage human resources for the HBPC Program, including selecting qualified staff, orienting, and mentoring the team, promotes staff development and professional growth, and assures a process for ongoing staff clinical competency. He/she determines the program staff continuing education needs and ensures appropriate resources to meet those needs. He/she coordinates student education programs in HBPC. He/she is responsible for managing and tracking program resources to include but not limited to, equipment inventory, GSA, and VA owned Vehicles.

He/she processes, assigns, and tracks referrals for HBPC and ensures timely access to HBPC. He/she collaborates with the business office and fiscal service to ensure accurate HBPC clinical, administrative, and workload data. He/she has significant responsibility for implementing the vision, mission, philosophy, and core values for the organization. The HBPC Program Director for HBPC is responsible to provide assistance, collaboration, and subject matter expertise for a complex group of services HBPC often works with, such as Home Oxygen Programs, Home Medical Equipment, and contracting services to comply with regulatory standards. He/she is responsible for evaluating program activities and providing follow-up actions required by internal and external review organizations and/or accrediting bodies.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:00am - 3:30pm
Telework: Available (Ad-hoc)
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• All qualified candidates encouraged to apply. Open to U.S. Citizens but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.

Physician Assistant Basic Requirements

• Master's degree in any discipline or a bachelor's degree in any discipline with one year of experience as a Physician Assistant ~AND~
• Successfully passed the PA National Certifying Exam (PANCE) (or are you in the process to taking the exam) ~AND~
• Currently hold, or will hold, a full and unrestricted license to practice in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or in the District of Columbia.

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-IV (PA-IV) (Clinical Leader/Administrative Leader). PAs at the PA-IV grade level may serve as clinical leader or administrative leader. Clinical PA Leaders may be assigned to positions/studies where limited guidance exists as physician oversight is not required. Administrative PA Leaders are involved with strategic planning and administrative/managerial responsibilities for integrated programs that cross service and/or discipline lines and influence organizational mission and health care. A PA clinical leader/administrative leader may monitor or evaluate services or programs with interaction of senior administration.

Experience. PA clinical leaders/administrative leaders require five years of experience which included leadership assignments that involved formulating program objectives and priorities, implementing plans and practices, and interpreting regulatory and organizational guidance to develop and implement policies and/or procedures.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. PAs at this level are not required to meet each individual KSA listed below to qualify, but should be able to demonstrate, develop, or acquire those not met upon appointment for PA-IV:

• Ability to assess information and make recommendations that may significantly affect the content, interpretation, or development of programs concerning critical matters or key issues within the health care system.
• Ability to schedule and supervise staff, students, or ancillary personnel, to include conducting performance evaluations.
• Skill in planning, organizing, directing, and controlling an integrated program.
• Skill in design, management of budget, and cost benefit analysis to ensure optimal stewardship of resources.
• Ability to analyze complex medical care, organizational processes and/or systems, and develop and implement solutions that improve outcomes at the program or service level.
• Ability to develop and recommend new or revised policies or procedures to justify program goals and motivate assigned personnel.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is PA-IV. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is PA-IV .

Preferred Experience: VA Supervisory Experience is preferred.

Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as employment conditions.

Driver's License: This position requires the ability to operate a government vehicle. This position requires greater than 50% travel with regular travel to Veterans' homes, between the duty station of Fort Meade and other locations such as Hot Springs, Rapid City CBOC, and intermittent travel to home­based primary care teams in Scottsbluff, Nebraska and Pierre, South Dakota.

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, resume, 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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.