Health Technician (Advanced Telehealth Clinical)

Description:

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) supports patient care using telehealth technologies which increase a Veteran's access to care and support. This includes developing and delivering virtual and digital technologies. Veterans communicate synchronously and asynchronously with their healthcare teams and coordinate, track, and manage their healthcare. These technologies may include, Clinical Video Telehealth, My HealtheVet (MHV), Home Telehealth (HT), and other telehealth applications.

Requirements:

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

• Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. After a determination is made that it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens, non-citizen personnel may be appointed on a temporary basis under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405, without regard to the citizenship requirements of 38 U.S.C. 7402 or any other law prohibiting the employment of or payment of compensation to a person who is not a citizen of the United States. Candidates must meet all other requirements for the grade and position concerned.
• 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.
• Experience and Education
  • 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
  • Education. Four academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation. 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:
    • 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
    • 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.

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 for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical) Advanced, GS-7

• Experience . One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-6)* level as a Telehealth Clinical Health Technician. (Examples include: Comprehensive knowledge of computer systems and programs to perform a variety of tasks; Ability to communicate, consult, and interact with other members of the healthcare team, external relations, customer service and patient education; Ability to provide and receive guidance and technical direction; Ability to plan, organize, set priorities, work as a team member, and effectively complete assignments; Ability to read, interpret, and apply complex written instructions; Knowledge of general clinical policies and procedures in a healthcare environment).

While we no longer require essay-style responses to our Knowledge's Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics (KSAOs), you must be able to demonstrate that you possess the (below) competencies which are necessary to perform the work of the position. Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training; otherwise, we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim. These are the KSA's for this subject position:

1. Ability to use independent technical judgment to analyze, evaluate and resolve problems.
2. Knowledge of quality control and assurance procedures and principles of performance improvement.
3. Ability to function effectively between competing priorities.
4. Knowledge of proper maintenance and troubleshooting of telehealth equipment.
5. 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.
6. Ability to assist in Health Technician (Telehealth Clinical) development, outcome management and strategic planning.
7. Ability to perform successful knowledge transfer regarding the use of telehealth technologies.

References: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ .

Preferred Experience: Healthcare experience.

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 is required.