Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical) - Float

Summary

The Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical) supports the provision of patient care using telehealth technologies which increase a Veteran's access to care and support a Veteran's self-management. Serves in a generalist role and is typically stationed at a clinical care delivery site (VA Medical Center, CBOC, VA Outreach Clinic, etc.), with duties that require travel. Position is located at the Victoria, TX VA Clinic Victoria VA Clinic | VA South Texas Health Care | Veterans Affairs.

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Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

06/24/2024 to 07/02/2024

This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more

• Salary

$40,142 - $58,174 per year

• Pay scale & grade

GS 00

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Location

1 vacancy in the following location:

• Victoria, TX 1 vacancy

• Remote job

No

• Telework eligible

No

• Travel Required

50% or less

• You may be expected to travel for this position to other locations for coverage and training.

• Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

• Appointment type

Permanent

• Work schedule

Full-time

• Service

Excepted

• Promotion potential

6

• Job family (Series)

0640 Health Aid And Technician

• Supervisory status

No

• Security clearance

Other

• Drug test

Yes

• Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

• Trust determination process

Suitability/Fitness

• Announcement number

CAZM-12455286-24-RBW

• Control number

796930900

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This job is open to

• Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency

This is an internal job announcement. This announcement is only open to current permanent VA employees of VISN 17.

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Duties

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Preparing the clinical environment, which may include preparing medical and telecommunications equipment to be used for clinical examination and treatment;

• Serving as a telepresenter within scope of practice during clinical video telehealth (CVT) and VA Video Connect (VVC) encounters including tasks such as establishing and maintaining video conferencing connections, making introductions between patient site and provider site, following instructions of a clinician to facilitate an effective clinical encounter;

• Serving as an imager and clinical data manager 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;

• Taking measures to ensure patient care is delivered safely by following appropriate procedures for inventory management, cleaning of clinical equipment and the care environment while following all patient safety guidelines, protocols, and procedures;

• Completing standardized clinical questionnaires and templates within scope of training and applicable guidelines;

• Ensuring that patient privacy is protected by complying with all information security and patient privacy regulations;

• Receiving and scheduling requests for simple and complex intra-facility, and inter-facility telehealth appointments using an electronic resource-based scheduling system;

• Screening patients for Telehealth modality and referring patients that do not meet established criteria to appropriate care;

• Monitoring and maintaining schedules of rooms, patients, technologies, clinical providers and presenters as needed to ensure efficient telehealth operations;- Providing patient education via approved materials;

• Supporting the Veteran in completing patient satisfaction surveys;

• Communicating effectively with clinical and administrative staff at the assigned local site and those located at remote sites of care;

• Configuring, installing, troubleshooting, cleaning, and performing minor routine maintenance of assigned telehealth technology;

• Ensuring assigned telehealth technologies are managed appropriately to include inventory, secure, ready for use, and accounted for by preparing and tracking maintenance work orders, information systems, inventory records, and communicating with the National Telehealth Technology Help Desk to facilitate troubleshooting, repair, and coordination of replacement equipment as necessary.

• Providing established education and training to Veterans, staff and providers on the use of telehealth technologies and serving as a point of contact to answer questions and address concerns related to these technologies;

• 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;

• Maintaining regular contact with other staff members and the Facility Telehealth Coordinator to work out process issues, equipment needs, problems, data collection and any other logistical issues;

• Arranging and completing test video calls with Veterans to prepare the Veterans for clinical encounters using telehealth technologies;

• Ensuring information and resources are maintained for local and remote telehealth providers so they can effectively execute contingency and emergency plans; and completing other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday

• Friday, 7:30 a.m.

• 4:00 p.m. This is a Float position, Tour location may vary depending on patient care needs and staffing requirements. Government Vehicle or Travel reimbursement will be requested when covering a clinic beyond 50 miles of your base location. Your main work location will be Victoria VA Clinic. (Tour of Duty and location may change due to patient care needs to include extended hours).

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.

• 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.

• You may be required to serve a probationary period.

• Subject to background/security investigation.

• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.

• 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).

• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

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.

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.

• Experience and Education.

• (1) 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

• (2) Education. Four academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation. OR

• (3) 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:

• (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

• (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.

• Certification. None

• Grandfathering Provision. All Health Technicians (Telehealth Clinical) employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (2) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. (3) If an employee who was retained (grandfathered) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.

• 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.

• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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).

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements mentioned above, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

GS-5 Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical) (Entry Level)

Experience. None beyond the basic requirements.

Assignment. This is an entry level Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical) position. It is expected that the Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical) receive guidance from more experienced staff members and require frequent and direct supervision. Assignments associated with this position include, but are not limited to, schedule telehealth appointments using an electronic scheduling system; obtain and document patient history and pertinent clinical information in electronic medical records; prepares the telehealth room where the Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical) readies the equipment for examination, establishes video conferencing connection, makes introductions between patient site and provider site; monitors and maintains electronic schedule of rooms, patients, technologies, and presenters; administers the patient satisfaction survey; cleans and performs minor routine maintenance of assigned telehealth technology.

GS-6 Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical)

Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade GS-5 level. Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: 1) Schedule telehealth appointments using an electronic scheduling system; 2) Obtain and document patient history and pertinent clinical information in electronic medical records; 3) Prepares the telehealth room where the Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical) readies the equipment for examination; 4) Establishes video conferencing connection; 5) Makes introductions between patient site and provider site; 6) Monitors and maintains electronic schedule of rooms, patients, technologies, and presenters; 7) Administers the patient satisfaction survey; 8) Cleans and performs minor routine maintenance of assigned telehealth technology.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate ALL the following KSAs:

(a) Comprehensive knowledge of computer systems and programs to perform a variety of tasks.

(b) Ability to communicate, consult, and interact with other members of the healthcare team, external relations, customer service and patient education.(c) Ability to provide and receive guidance and technical direction.

(d) Ability to plan, organize, set priorities, work as a team member, and effectively complete assignments.

(e) Ability to read, interpret, and apply complex written instructions.

(f) Knowledge of general clinical policies and procedures in a healthcare environment.

(g) Skilled in the use of telehealth technologies for the facilitation of telehealth clinical encounters.

Preferred Experience:

• Prior CNA or military, medic experience or Military Corpsmen experience

• Prior healthcare experience

• Prior telehealth experience

References: VA Handbook 5005/96 Part II Appendix G50 Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical), GS-0640 Veterans Health Administration dated February 7, 2018

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-5 to GS-6.

Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds; Moderate carrying, 15-44 pounds; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (2 hours); Standing (3 hours); Repeated bending (4 hours); Depth perception; Hearing (aid may be permitted); Mental and emotional stability.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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• Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window

Learn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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.

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.