As a member of the Rehabilitation Service at the San Francisco VA Healthcare System (SFVAHCS), the RCT Program Coordinator is assigned broad administrative responsibility for coordinating, planning, assessing, and evaluating the referral program for rehabilitative care including Physical Therapy (PT), Occupational Therapy (OT), and Speech Therapy (ST). The incumbent applies advanced knowledge of physical therapy to provide clinical guidance, training and/or education to stakeholders.
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: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: Individuals appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA must be proficient in written and spoken English. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. Education and Experience: The individual must meet at least one of the requirements below: Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy AND five (5) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist. Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist. Doctorate degree in physical therapy. NOTE: Individuals must be a graduate of a Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) accredited college or university. The CAPTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to accredit entry-level physical therapy programs. Verification of accredited programs may be obtained from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) at www.apta.org. Licensure. Individuals hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice physical therapy in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Non-licensed PTs, who otherwise meet the basic requirements in this standard, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate PT at the GS-11 grade level under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 (a)(1)(D) for a period not-to-exceed two years from the date of employment on the condition that such PT provide care only under the supervision of a PT who is licensed. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment. 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). Creditable Experience Knowledge of Contemporary Professional Physical Therapy Practice. To be creditable, a candidate must have demonstrated possession of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the scope of physical therapy practice. The candidate's experience may be evidenced by one or more of the following:(a) Active professional practice. Active professional practice means paid/non-paid employment as a professional PT as defined by APTA or the appropriate licensing board. Experience gained after graduation but prior to licensure is creditable provided the candidate was utilized as a graduate PT and subsequently passed the licensure examination. (b) Completion of a post-graduate fellowship or a post-graduate residency program may be substituted for creditable experience on a year for year basis. Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable if it was post degree experience as a professional PT and is directly related to the duties to be performed. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to or exceeding the professional PT experience at the next lower grade level. Grade Determinations: GS- 13 Physical Therapist (Program Coordinator)Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 1. Ability to apply advanced knowledge of contemporary physical therapy within specialty area to provide clinical guidance, training or education for internal and external stakeholders. 2. Ability to serve as a consultant within the assigned program area for intra-agency and interagency planning and to provide service coordination to optimize program continuity, efficiency and effectiveness. 3. Knowledge of and skill in management, administration and/or education 11 methodologies. This includes the ability to monitor and track data, utilize available resources effectively, evaluate program quality, and generate reports for local, and/or VISN and/or VACO leadership. 4. Ability to develop and coordinate treatment and/or educational programs within a concentrated field or specialty area, such as, but not limited to, amputee, spinal cord injury, chronic pain, student clinical education/residency programming, polytrauma/traumatic brain injury. 5. Ability to establish and maintain collaborative relationships within department and with other departments or affiliated programs. 6. Ability to guide the work of a multi-disciplinary team Assignment. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. PTs at this level have experience that demonstrates advanced practice skills and judgment across one or more areas of physical therapy. The individual may be assigned broad administrative responsibility. The individual is assigned a major content specialty area to include assessing, planning, evaluating and delivering care within a special clinical program or component of a Rehabilitation Service, which usually involves multiple disciplines. See the definition for specialty areas in paragraph 2. i, that includes Polytrauma/Traumatic Brain Injury, Chronic Pain, Amputation, Spinal Cord Injury and clinical education programs. PTs provide administrative direction and decisions related to the program. The Physical Therapy Program Coordinator is responsible for the coordination of multiple professionals from a variety of disciplines for optimal clinical care and educational programming. He/she implements programs, policies, and procedures to meet program goals, policy and external accreditation requirements. He/she monitors outcomes, participates in strategic planning and implements strategies for program improvement particularly in assigned content specialty area. The Program Coordinator supports the rehabilitation service and serves as a point of contact providing guidance to facility leadership on matters related to specialty content area. He/she collaborates with Clinical Specialists and with Rehabilitation Service leaders to assist with administrative processes to obtain resources and equipment for operations of content specialty area. He/she assists with developing local policy for new or emerging practices and technologies. Preferred Experience: Some VA experience and 2-3 years outpatient clinical experience. References: VA handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G12The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: : Given the probability of patient treatment, the work requires above-average agility and dexterity, heavy lifting, 45 pounds and over; use of fingers, both hands required; reaching above shoulder; walking (8 hours); standing (8 hours); both legs required (1 prosthetic); far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; ability to distinguish basic colors; ability to distinguish shades of colors; hearing (aid permitted), and mental and emotional stability.
Practice: Demonstrates advanced knowledge of contemporary physical therapy across multiple areas of practice. Applies knowledge by providing clinical guidance to multidisciplinary VA medial staff and community rehabilitation providers. This includes niche practice areas such as women's health, lymphedema therapy, aquatic therapy, TMJ rehab, hand therapy and LSVT/BIG programs. Directs and provides care coordination activities and autonomously makes decisions based on VHA's Referral Coordination Initiative (RCTI) standards and expectations. Serves as subject matter expert and consultant in accessing care in the community by demonstrating understanding of Community Care (CC) guidelines, including MISSION Act criteria and subsequent legislation related to Care in the Community (CITC). In conjunction with VA medical providers and community Rehabilitation Therapists develops and coordinates treatment plans for veterans receiving rehabilitation services in the community. Builds consensus among multiple process stakeholders by reconciling caried objectives with an emphasis on providing patient centered and timely care. Establishes and maintains collaborative relationships within Rehabilitation Service and other Medical Center departments. Establishes responsibility for coordinating clinical assignments for multiple professionals comprising a virtual interdisciplinary team. Demonstrates ability to interpret provider prescription and referral. Reviews and screens patient's medical record for appropriateness of PT/OT/ST intervention, noting and potential risks or contraindications to treatment to obtain appropriate services. Utilizes contemporary and evidence based clinical knowledge of rehabilitation services with respect to interpreting evaluation findings and proposed intervention to guide the review process. Provides available care options to the veteran including care at SFVAHCS, other VHA health care systems and in the community. Evaluates rehabilitation care rendered in the community and extends such care when appropriate. The incumbent functions independently in assuring that services requested are consistent with VA policies, meet community standards of care and clinical necessity. Communicates effectively verbally and in writing with patients and clinical, administrative, and technical staff at all levels within VA and community organizations. Collaborates and shares information with clinical treatment staff regarding patient progress and outcomes to maximize quality of care. Demonstrates knowledge of VA rules regarding eligibility and benefits with respect to services requested. Assists Rehabilitation Chiefs by ensuring that delivery of in-house OT, PT, and ST services is consistent and commensurate with community care practices. Educational Stays current with rapid changes in CC directives, programming, and procedures. Communicates such changes to appropriate stakeholders. Investigates current concepts and scientific principles in rehabilitation practice (OT, PT, and ST) through literature reviews and study of current research. Applies knowledge of evidence-based treatment approaches to clinical review process. Regularly attends continuing education courses, conferences, and in-services in the professional community and within the VA. Orients patients, physicians, allied health professionals, students, volunteers, and community representatives to the purpose and function of rehabilitation services within the SFVAMC. Provides in-services and training programs on topics of rehabilitation to peers and other Medical Center staff including nurses, physicians, and allied health professionals. Educates qualified VA providers on veteran eligibility and criteria for appropriate referrals to rehabilitation services both in-house and via CC programs. Provides such education via feedback to individual providers and in-services to groups. Educates community providers of rehabilitation services regarding VA requirements for reimbursement including submission of outside clinical documentation containing outcomes measures. Administrative Provides administrative direction to and coordinates the activities of RCT staff including clinical review staff and administrative support staff in the assigned area. Develops tracking system for CC rehabilitation requests and triaging system to ensure time sensitive requests are addressed appropriately.. Demonstrates technical competence in using a variety of computer tools including VISTA, CPRS, TEAMS, and Outlook. Demonstrates proficiency in Windows, Microsoft Word, and Excel as well as HSRM, PPMS, CTM, and VA Identity and Access Management System (HEC). VA Careers - Physical Therapy: https://youtube.com/embed/Gi2hoFqIoqY Work Schedule: M-F 0800-1630 Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 662 05723F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Available