Clarification from the agency

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).

This is a position established to perform developmental assignments in a variety of administrative and clinical activities with responsibility that include service level improvement, productivity improvement, management controls and standardization to provide both effective and efficient delivery of healthcare to patients seen at VA Palo Alto Health Care System facilities. The incumbent may serve as a Health System Specialist (Systems Redesign Coordinator) GS-0671-09, GS-0671-11, or Target GS-0671-12. Selection at the lower grade is designed to provide the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience to perform the full range of routine and non-routine assignments with a high level of independence in support of the Office of Quality, Safety and Value at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS).

Promotion to the next higher grade is contingent upon the incumbent's demonstration of the ability to perform the duties of the next higher grade based on the supervisors recommendation and the availability of work at the next higher grade level. Incumbent must also meet minimum qualifications and time-in-grade requirements. Promotion to next higher grade is not guaranteed.

At the GS-12 level, duties for the position include but are not limited to:

• Conducts extensive work in analyzing data and conducting background research on the issue.
• Pulls, isolates and manipulates data to identify root causes of a performance issue.
• Develops statistical models to measure successful of performance improvement actions.
• Converts data into numerous formats using advanced statistical models including statistical process control charts, histograms, paretto charts, and many more.
• Leads a team of subject matter experts, front line staff and leadership through a rigorous and defined project management process utilizing multiple tools from Lean Six Sigma, Lean VA TAMCCS and other performance improvement disciplines to further define the current state of the process.
• Identifies various solutions approaches and when necessary further leads them through prioritizing exercises with tools like affinity diagrams, PICK Charts and multi-voting.
• Creates designs of experiment that align to project goals and team developed solutions.
• Conducts experiments and collects data to identify if the developed solutions are affective.
• Provides consultation to executive, service line, and program leadership by leveraging VA data analytics resources.
• Identifies metrics performing below benchmarked standards or falling below the upper or lower control limits of a statistically controlled models such as SAIL.
• Collects baseline information, identifies limitations in current systems, and discovers potential improvements.
• Aligns identified metrics to known organizational priorities, such as VA/VHA/VISN/Facility strategic or operational plan.
• Develops local data metrics and dashboards to monitor projects in progress or performance benchmarks of a project that is awaiting a charter or formal decision from executive leadership for action.
• Identifies projects critical to improving quality outcomes and maximize return on investment of utilized resources.
• Develops and refines information for comprehensive reports, addressing such elements as cost analysis, work measurements, trend analysis, efficiency, effectiveness, productivity, and tangible benefits.
• Evaluates the quality of care and the efficiency of care processes.
• Provides instruction to others on Lean, Lean Six Sigma, Systems Redesign or other improvement methodologies principles and tools through formal classroom instruction or small group mentoring.
• Develops written and verbal teaching materials.
• Delivers training materials and curriculum consisting of advanced practices of project management, statistics, coaching, facilitation and leadership.
• Responsible for leading the team through development of control strategies, to ensure project solutions are sustained after the project lifecycle.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• 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.

Basic Requirements: You must possess one of the following:

• Undergraduate and Graduate education: Major study -- hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration. OR,
• Specialized Experience: 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. OR,
• Special Provision for In-service Placement: Successful completion of an agency-sponsored on-the-job training program may be substituted for qualifying experience, provided it included a formal individualized training plan.

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the federal service). Qualifying specialized experience is defined as 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: (1) Missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems; (2) Regulations and standards of various regulatory groups; and (3) Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement.

• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree or successfully completed two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a related field of the position to be filled (i.e., hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration).

• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience as described above, to meet the total experience requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position (i.e. hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as course work in health care administration).

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Qualifying specialized experience is defined as 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: (1) Missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems; (2) Regulations and standards of various regulatory and groups; and (3) Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement. At this level, applicants would have obtained this experience working within a health care setting, working directly with clinicians and other administrators to solve problems in support of the delivery of patient care; and experience running an administrative component of a health care process improvement program.

• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR three (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in the related field of the position to be filled (i.e., hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration).

• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level (beyond a master's degree) and specialized experience as described above to meet total experience requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position (i.e., hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration).

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Qualifying specialized experience is defined as 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: (1) Missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems; (2) Regulations and standards of various regulatory groups; and (3) Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement. At this level, applicants would have obtained this experience working within a health care setting, working directly with clinicians and local leadership to solve problems in support of the delivery of patient care; applying organizational and system-wide strategies for continuous quality improvement; and experience running and supervising an administrative component of a process improvement program.

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.