Program Analyst (Informatics)

Veterans Health Administration•Wichita, KS

7h•Onsite

About The Position

The Robert J. Dole Wichita VAMC is seeking a Program Analyst within Health Informatics. This full-performance-level, non-supervisory position is located at the medical centers in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Its primary purpose is to improve the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care by integrating clinical and information processes to support the successful adoption and use of new technologies throughout VHA. Health Informatics personnel are expected to demonstrate awareness-level proficiency in application support, business architecture management, enterprise data management, content management, system optimization, change management, requirements management, and partnership management. The position typically reports to the Chief Health Informatics Officer (CHIO) or a similar-level position, at the local site's discretion. The incumbent supports organizational updates through communication, education, and leadership; guides clinical software and process development; and helps ensure software availability and staff training. The role contributes to software enhancements and process improvement, and partners with information technology colleagues to support patient care. It also fosters collaboration between the Office of Information and Technology and Health Informatics to sustain and optimize health IT solutions and workflows. The Program Analyst evaluates content quality, supports access to knowledge resources, reduces redundant data sources, and improves information interoperability. The role applies statistical, machine-learning, visualization, inferencing, and other techniques to support decision-making. It uses or develops reports and information tools, including tools using SQL and SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) with data from the VISN and VA Corporate Data Warehouse. The incumbent develops, implements, monitors, maintains, and optimizes informatics tools and access to them in support of the electronic health record and quality care. The position serves as a subject matter expert in visual process-flow diagrams, supports clinical input in VHA business architecture, and participates in evaluating and testing systems and applications and reporting errors. It evaluates workflows end to end, identifies issues, develops solutions based on best-practice guidelines, and communicates changes to maintain and optimize processes that deliver health information technology solutions. The role also supports the management and delivery of educational experiences using information solutions and technology across healthcare. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework is not available, and the position is not virtual. Relocation or recruitment incentives are not authorized. The work is primarily sedentary and predominantly office-, training-, virtual-service-, and outreach-based, with some slight physical effort and incidental walking, standing, and light carrying. Assignments may also involve prolonged standing, bending, and stooping while observing work operations.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
Proficiency in written and spoken English.
Meet the GS-09 or GS-11 qualification pathway through specialized experience, qualifying graduate education, or an eligible combination of education and experience. GS-09 experience requires at least one year equivalent to GS-07; GS-11 experience requires at least one year equivalent to GS-09.
Submit transcripts when using education to qualify; qualifying education must be from an accredited institution and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Foreign education requires a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with transcripts.
Provide clear descriptions of relevant experience and the number of hours worked per week when seeking credit for qualifying experience.
Register for Selective Service if applicable to males born after December 31, 1959.
Complete a background/security investigation and online onboarding, provide acceptable identification, and meet the seasonal influenza vaccination requirement for VA health care personnel.
Complete all application requirements detailed in the announcement's Required Documents section.
Serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to evaluation and written certification for continued employment.

Nice To Haves

Experience in end-user education.
Experience in change management.
Experience in data and content management.
Experience in application support.

Responsibilities

Support understanding and adaptation to organizational updates through communication, education, and leadership.
Guide the evolution of clinical software and processes, ensuring software is available to staff and providing training on the programs.
Contribute to software enhancements and process-improvement activities, and collaborate with IT colleagues to support patient care.
Maintain a productive working relationship between the Office of Information and Technology and Health Informatics to sustain and optimize health IT solutions and workflows.
Evaluate content quality, ensure access to knowledge resources, eliminate redundant data sources, and improve information interoperability.
Apply statistical, machine-learning, visualization, inferencing, and other techniques to enable decision support.
Use or develop reports and information tools using methods and tools such as SQL and SSRS, including data from the VISN and VA Corporate Data Warehouse.
Develop, implement, monitor, maintain, and optimize informatics tools and access to them in support of the electronic health record and quality care.
Serve as a subject matter expert in visual process-flow diagrams and help end users correctly interpret symbols and diagrams representing their work activities.
Ensure clinical input in development and management of the VHA business architecture.
Participate in evaluating and testing systems and applications and reporting errors.
Evaluate workflows end to end, identify issues, develop solutions based on best-practice guidelines, and resolve and communicate changes to maintain and optimize processes delivering health IT solutions.
Support management and delivery of educational experiences using information solutions and technology across healthcare.