Health System Specialist (Associate Group Practice Manager)

Veterans Health Administration • Fort Wayne, IN

7h • Onsite

About The Position

The Health System Specialist (Associate Group Practice Manager) supports the Ambulatory Care Operations Director/Group Practice Manager and ambulatory care services at the VA Northern Indiana Health Care System, including its main campuses and associated Community Based Outpatient Clinics. The role focuses on access to care, standardized processes, clinic management, and implementation of local, national, and VISN requirements.

The incumbent advises on ambulatory care administration, reviews policies and procedures, supports training and clinic management systems, monitors access and workflow indicators, and uses data to recommend improvements and resource allocations. The position also collaborates with clinic managers, clinical and administrative leads, Veteran Experience Officers, facility staff, and external organizations to improve access, productivity, wait times, and the Veteran experience. Work may involve walking throughout facilities and travel to satellite outpatient clinics.

Requirements

• Meet the Health System Specialist occupational series individual occupational requirement through either qualifying education, qualifying specialized experience, or an eligible agency-sponsored on-the-job training program.
• For the GS-12 level, have one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-11, or qualify under the stated in-service placement provision; there is no educational substitution for the GS-12 level.
• Specialized experience must include health care analytical, administrative, clinical management, or supervisory work involving close collaboration with facility managers and analysis or coordination of administrative, clinical, or other service activities.
• Specialized experience must provide knowledge of health care delivery systems; regulations and standards of regulatory and credentialing groups; and government-wide, agency, and facility administrative systems such as budget, personnel, and procurement.
• Be a U.S. citizen.
• Complete a background/suitability investigation and required online onboarding; provide a complete application package, including required transcripts where applicable.
• Meet Selective Service registration requirements if male and born after December 31, 1959.
• Serve a one-year probationary period.
• Comply with the VA seasonal influenza vaccination requirement or obtain an approved medical or religious exemption; face masks are required when an exemption is granted.

Responsibilities

• Provide consultative services on access-related processes and collaborate with facility Service Lines to develop guidance and policies for standardized processes.
• Review regulations and policies for local interpretation and contribute to applying national policies and procedures in consideration of local factors.
• Evaluate processes and procedures for effectiveness, efficiency, and improvement, and present proposals through the local Group Practice Management group and supervisor.
• Report to the supervisor and facility access leadership as assigned.
• Promote system-wide training plans, support the local clinic management system, recommend improvements to onboarding and sustainment curricula, and support action plans for CPM training requirements.
• Participate as an active member of assigned committees, including the Access, Clinical Use and Excellence Committee, Scheduling Optimization and Clinical Capacity Committee, and Revenue Enhancement Committee.
• Contribute to initiatives to improve patient access and productivity and reduce wait times; recommend strategies to clinical leads for access improvement and backlog reduction.
• Monitor workflow, consult management, and information technology usage or issues, and provide guidance or assistance to clinical and administrative leads as needed.
• Collect, analyze, and report trended data and recommend resource allocations.
• Help clinic managers identify relationships among ambulatory care functions and their effects on clinical operations, quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness.
• Work with facility and CBOC personnel to implement local, national, and VISN standards and address administrative process or system issues.
• Work with Veteran Experience Officers to evaluate patient and family concerns about access to services.
• Provide administrative program advice for ambulatory care clinical support services, including interpreting policies, recommending local policies, helping managers define administrative requirements, and advising senior leadership.
• Implement action plans to ensure clinical grids accurately reflect supply and monitor profile indicators related to backlogs, missed opportunities, wait times, and Community Care options.
• Ensure accuracy of related services FTEE, person class assignments, labor mapping, and bookability.
• Help clinic managers forecast the effects of staffing changes and develop countermeasures for staff shortages affecting access to care.
• Work with clinic managers to formulate budget recommendations for outpatient clinical services and allocate available resources to support access and the Veteran experience.
• Serve as a liaison or point person for internal and external communications on clinical access issues, and maintain relationships with relevant medical, educational, accrediting, public health, volunteer, and community organizations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package; specific benefits depend on position type and should be confirmed with the hiring agency.
• VA may grant credit for qualifying non-federal job-related experience or active-duty uniformed military service when determining annual leave accrual, subject to prior request and approval.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed