HEALTH SYSTEM SPECIALIST

Summary About the Position: The Health System Specialist position with the Defense Health Agency is located at Army Health Clinic Vicenza and includes duties related to Patient Advocacy, Public Affairs, and Performance Improvement. This is a Direct Hire Solicitation Learn more about this agency Duties Update and maintain official online communications, responding to inquiries, comments, and questions. Develop, analyze, and coordinate short, mid, and long-range plans and programs in support of the Health Center’s Performance Improvement. Monitor compliance of ongoing programs designed to monitor, evaluate, and improve the quality and appropriateness of patient care provided for both inpatients and outpatients. Interpret the patient advocacy mission, policies, procedures and available resources/services to the patient, presenting the patients' problems, opinions and needs to appropriate staff and management. Assist patients, their families/representatives, and facility staff members in recognizing institutional barriers to the provision of optimum health care. Work with health care providers and administrative support staff to resolve or minimize patient complaints, reporting on corrective measures taken on behalf of the patient and monitoring the outcome. Receive and respond to complaints and grievances from patients (verbal or written via comment boxes), or from individuals on behalf of patients, identifying the elements of clinical or administrative practices contributing to patient dissatisfaction. Conduct special studies at the direction of the Deputy Commander for Administration that may have Health Center wide implication. Participate in committees and working groups whose recommendations impact policies and procedures which may affect the entire medical center and may be exported to other regional and DoD facilities. Assist the Department and Section Chiefs, and Chief Nurse in preparation for surveys and inspections, establishing control procedures to ensure compliance, and that corrective action is taken if necessary. Participate in program planning discussions to assure maximum public education and explanatory information by regularly updating written and visual material (i.e. handouts, flyers, news releases, articles) for publication. Requirements Conditions of employment Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation. Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration. You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship. One year trial/probationary period may be required. Applicants must comply with the Exceptional Family Member Program requirements as outlined in the DoD Instruction 1315.19. Must be able to satisfy the requirements of the 26JUL12 DODI 1400.25 V1230, DoD Civilian Personnel Management System: Employment in Foreign Areas and Employee Return Rights. Visit https://www.esd.whs.mil/DD/DoD-Issuances/140025/. This position is subject to screening and update of required immunizations. This position has a mandatory annual seasonal influenza immunization requirement and is therefore subject to annual seasonal influenza vaccinations in accordance with Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 6205.02. This position requires Temporary Duty (TDY) or business travel approximately 10% of the time away from your permanent duty station. Work requires lifting and moving moderate to heavy items up to 25 lbs. Qualifications Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes progressively responsible analytical, administrative, or clinical management in the health care field managing the day-to-day operations of a clinic or practice. The work must have involved a close working relationship with facility managers and analysis and/or coordination of administrative, clinical, or other service activities. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09). OR Education: Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree with a major study in hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. Education FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional information Direct Deposit of Pay is required. U.S. citizens overseas under ordinarily resident status are not eligible for appointment under the Status of Forces Agreement. Locality pay does not apply in the overseas area. If an employee brings a child to an overseas location and that child is entitled to attend a DoD school on a space-required basis in accordance with DoDEA Regulation 1342.13, the DoDEA and the Military Department responsible for providing related services will ensure that the child, if eligible for special education, receives a free appropriate public education, including related services pursuant to DoDI 1342.12 and DoDM 1342.12. If an employee brings an infant or toddler (up to 3 years of age) to an overseas location, and that infant or toddler, but for the child's age, is entitled to attend the DoDEA on a space-required basis in accordance with DoDEA Regulation 1342.13, then the Military Department responsible for EIS will provide the infant or toddler with the required EIS in accordance with the eligibility criteria consistent with DoDI 1342.12 and DoDM 1342.12. Employees (and family members) who require medical or dental care in the overseas location will be responsible for obtaining and paying for such care. Access for civilian employees and their families to military medical and dental treatment facilities is on a space-available and reimbursable basis only. Pay retention may be offered to selected applicants for positions at overseas locations. Pay retention will not be offered as an incentive for employees moving between overseas positions. Selectees may receive certain foreign area benefits such as: Living Quarters Allowance (LQA) or government quarters, home leave, etc. Selectees will have their eligibility for foreign area benefits determined at the time of hire in accordance with Department of State Standardized Regulation (DSSR) and DoDI 1400.25 volume 1250. For positions in a foreign country, that country's laws or international agreements may have a direct impact on the ability of an employee's same sex domestic partner or spouse to accompany the employee and receive certain benefits. If you believe you may be affected by these laws and agreements, you should familiarize yourself with relevant information and direct questions concerning a specific country (Foreign Duty Location) to the appropriate Human Resources point of contact prior to the acceptance of employment and your entrance on duty. The initial length of this overseas tour is 36 months. Recruitment or relocation incentives MAY be authorized for highly qualified candidates. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction/ for more information. Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations. Expand Hide  additional information Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Benefits Review our benefits