Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical) - Advanced

Duties
This position is covered by AFGE bargaining unit. Per the AFGE Master Agreement, the Area of Consideration will be: 1st Area of Consideration - Current Facility and CBOC employees; 2nd Area of Consideration - VA Nationwide applicants; 3rd Area of Consideration - Other Status candidates and Public
Primary Responsibilities Of The Incumbent Include
The Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical) - Advanced provides high level support, training, and advanced management of telehealth operations and is typically stationed at a clinical care delivery site (VA Medical Center, CBOC, VA Outreach Clinic, etc.), with duties that may require travel.

• Ensuring that patient privacy is protected by complying with all information security and patient privacy regulations.
• Developing reporting procedures, sampling techniques and measurements at various points in the telehealth processes to identify/analyze inherent weaknesses in work and procedures.
• Participating in performance improvement activities aimed at improving the efficiency of the patient telehealth processes.
• Maintaining knowledge of and skill in applying an extensive body of rules, procedures, and operations in telehealth-related technologies and a variety of computer hardware and software used for telecommunications, data entry and retrieval, record maintenance, document and report generation.
• Serving as an imager and manager of clinical data for store and forward telehealth (SFT) clinical encounters including tasks such as capturing images, collecting data and transmitting them electronically for clinical review in accordance with VHA national guidelines.
• Coordinating clinic set up and monitoring of workload capture and issues for assigned patient and provider clinics including telehealth resource-based scheduling.
• Delivering established telehealth competency-based training for telehealth technology, facilitating interactive simulations for clinical staff participating in telehealth programs.
• Supports clinical telehealth encounters for both the patient and provider locations by serving as the telepresenter within scope of practice, functioning as an imager and supporting clinical data for telehealth store and forward applications, managing real time clinical telehealth events, providing established patient education, and providing technical and administrative support of telehealth operations.
• Taking measures to ensure patient care is delivered safely by following appropriate procedures for the cleaning of clinical equipment and the care environment while following all patient safety guidelines, protocols, and procedures.
• Supporting designated complex telehealth programs that require advanced technical skillsets.
• Completing standardized clinical questionnaires and templates within scope of training and applicable guidelines

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8am - 4:30pm
Position Description Title/PD#: Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical) - Advanced/PD000000 and PD051369
Physical Requirements: The work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing, bending, reaching, crouching, stooping, stretching, and lifting moderately heavy items such as manuals, record boxes, equipment or assisting patients. The work requires above average agility and dexterity. The incumbent may be required to travel between VA and/or Non-VA clinical care sites and possession of a valid driver's license may be required.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment

• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc
• May serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959

Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Basic Requirements Health Technician (Telehealth Clincical) - Entry Level

• Experience: One year of experience in a health care field that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work such as but not limited to a medical or clinical assistant (or technician) or health technician. OR
• (b) Six months of experience in the health care field and successful completion of a course for health care technicians, hospital corpsmen, or medical service specialists given by the U.S. Armed Forces.
• (a) Six months of experience in the health care field and two years of education above high school that included at least six semester hours in health care related courses such as, biological science, surgical technician courses, nursing assistant or other courses related to the position; or an associate's degree in a health care related field; or
• Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable. Examples are listed below:
• English Language Proficiency. A candidate will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English. See chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a
• Education: Four academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation. OR
• Experience and Education
• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

Grade Determinations:
GS-06 Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical) - Full Performance Level (FPL) GS-07 Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical) - Advanced

• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): The candidate must demonstrate all of the following.
• Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-05 (entry level) 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.
• Knowledge of general clinical policies and procedures in a healthcare environment
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): Candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
• Ability to use independent technical judgment to analyze, evaluate and resolve problems
• Ability to assist in Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical) development, outcome management and strategic planning
• Experience: One year of experience (equivalent to the GS-06 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.
• Knowledge of quality control and assurance procedures and principles of performance improvement
• Comprehensive knowledge of computer systems and programs to perform a variety of tasks.
• Skilled in the use of telehealth technologies for the facilitation of telehealth clinical encounters.
• Ability to provide and receive guidance and technical direction
• Ability to work with a team to provide technical guidance, plan, organize and coordinate activities of a health technician in order to effectively complete job duties of assignment such as distributing workload, monitoring the status and progress of work, monitoring accuracy of work.
• Knowledge of proper maintenance and troubleshooting of telehealth equipment
• Ability to perform successful knowledge transfer regarding the use of telehealth technologies
• Ability to read, interpret, and apply complex written instructions.
• Ability to communicate, consult, and interact with other members of the healthcare team, external relations, customer service and patient education
• Ability to function effectively between competing priorities
• Ability to plan, organize, set priorities, work as a team member, and effectively complete assignments

There is no educational substitution for the GS-07 level.
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 following will be communicated to applicants for VA employment in a testing designated position and will also be included in all VA vacancy announcements for such positions: All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drugs use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
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 .