This position reports to the Ambulatory Care Operations Director (ACOD) / Group Practice Manager (GPM). The primary purpose of the position is to provide assistance and support to the ACOD/GPM and to all ambulatory care services in the facility and related Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) as it relates to access to care as applicable. The incumbent supports high quality, accessible, cost effective health care services.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/25/2025. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS 11 - Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Experience with developing and presenting recommendations for improving clinical data-management methods, follow-up procedures, and timely compliance with regulatory guidelines- with manager oversight; Experience working closely with employees from all levels and all disciplines across multiple organizations, including leadership at the facility, VISN, or national levels, Ol&T, commercial vendors, experts in the field, and others- with manager oversight; Skilled in communicating both orally and in a variety of written media with all levels of end users, management, and OI&T personnel, both internal and external to the facility. - with manager oversight; Practical, experienced knowledge of automation and software systems and options that affect clinical practice, and knowledge of technologies that is likely to benefit healthcare delivery processes in order to troubleshoot functionality issues and develop solutions, and to ensure quality management of clinical operations.- with manager oversight; Ability to use a wide range of analytical and evaluative methods and independent judgment to identify opportunities for enhancing Informatics performance and productivity- with manager oversight; and Has experience examining highly complex systems and problems and determines actions to be taken to resolve those problems. OR Education: Successfully completed a Ph.D., equivalent doctoral degree, three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, Or LL.M 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). The education portion must include courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Education must have been obtained in an accredited college, or university. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR Combination: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (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). GS 12 - Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Experience with developing and presenting recommendations for improving clinical data-management methods, follow-up procedures, and timely compliance with regulatory guidelines; Experience working closely with employees from all levels and all disciplines across multiple organizations, including leadership at the facility, VISN, or national levels, Ol&T, commercial vendors, experts in the field, and others; Skill in communicating both orally and in a variety of written media with all levels of end users, management, and OI&T personnel, both internal and external to the facility; Practical, experienced knowledge of automation and software systems and options that affect clinical practice, and knowledge of technologies that is likely to benefit healthcare delivery processes in order to troubleshoot functionality issues and develop solutions, and to ensure quality management of clinical operations; Ability to use a wide range of analytical and evaluative methods and independent judgment to identify opportunities for enhancing Informatics performance and productivity; and Has experience examining highly complex systems and problems and determines actions to be taken to resolve those problems. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Administration and Management Communication Critical Thinking Problem Solving 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: Performance of the incumbent's duties may require extensive walking per day to meet with the facility managers and other clinic personnel. Trips to satellite outpatient clinics are sometimes necessary and will involve transportation via automotive vehicle. The work performed is of a precise nature requiring long periods of concentration that is often interrupted. Incumbent is often faced with changing priorities and with meeting deadlines. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Program Responsibilities Provides access related consultative services, working in collaboration with facility Service Lines, to review and develop guidance and policies that will facilitate standardized processes within the facility and applicable CBOCs, etc. Review and provide input on regulations and policies for local interpretation, utilizing local group practice management and communication strategies. Works as part of an inhouse team to ensure a wide range of local factors are considered in the application of national policies and procedures. May be called upon to collaborate with staff from other facilities and to work on higher level project groups to review and make recommendations for facility and/or VISN level policies, procedures, systems, requirements, documents, and business or access analysis initiatives. Veteran Experience Responsibilities Works with Veteran Experience Officers within the local facility to evaluate patient and family concerns regarding the access to services needed. Aligns efforts with national and local requirements. Assists supervisor in coordinating efforts to ensure patient concerns are received, evaluated, and addressed in a timely and effective manner by the appropriate subject matter experts. Provides accurate data to ensure that processes and procedures developed are appropriately supported. Assists in the evaluation of outpatient care patient feedback for access and quality measures at the facility. Project Administration Incumbent utilizes advanced principles and strategies for access improvement to review and provide recommendations to Clinical Leads (CLs), including identifying strategies to reduce backlog. Monitors existing or emerging workflow issues; monitors consult management issues and provide guidance to CLs and Administrative Leads (ALs) when required. Monitors Information Technology (IT) usage and issues and provide information or assistance to CLs as needed. Budget Guidance Assists clinic managers in forecasting the impact of staff changes and developing countermeasures to mitigate the effect of staff shortages on access to care. Makes recommendations to managers regarding allocation of resources, including potential use of community care options. Monitors, and makes recommendations to adjust plans to effectively and cost-efficiently accomplish the mission within budgetary constraints. Performs cost analysis and cost effectiveness studies to determine make/buy decisions to address gaps. Office Program Planning Work Provides administrative program advice for ambulatory care clinical support services. This may include interpreting policies, making recommendations for local policies, assisting managers in defining administrative requirements, and/or providing advice to higher level leadership on related issues. Evaluates and monitors administrative activities and make substantive recommendations for program improvements. Liaison and Communications Acts as a liaison or point person for communications with persons and/or groups internal or external to the facility, representing Group Practice Management on clinical access issues. Promotes effective communication and optimal information flow within the clinics. Follows the established communication plan regarding reporting procedures for CPM access. Work Schedule: 8:00-4:30 Monday-Friday Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist Associate Group Practice Manager (AGPM)/PD99865S