The incumbent serves as a Program Analyst (Health Informatics) located at the medical centers, in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The primary purpose of the position is to improve the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care by integrating clinical and information processes necessary to achieve successful adoption and application of new technologies throughout the VHA.
In order to qualify for this position, you must meet the requirements below within 30 calendar days of the closing date listed on the announcement. Grade Determinations: GS-5: Experience: You must have three years of general experience, one year of equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-4 level in federal service. Examples of general experience would typically include, but are not limited to: 1. Analyze problems to identify significant factors, gather pertinent data, and recognize solutions; 2. Plan and organize work; and 3. Communicate effectively orally and in writing. Such experience may have been gained in administrative, professional, technical, investigative, or other responsible work. Experience in substantive and relevant secretarial, clerical, or other responsible work may be qualifying as long as it provided evidence of the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) necessary to perform the duties of the position to be filled. Experience of a general clerical nature (Typing, filing, routine procedural processing, maintaining records, or other nonspecialized tasks) is not creditable. Trades or crafts experience appropriate to the position to be filled may be creditable for some positions. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed four (4) years of education above the high school level leading to a bachelor's degree. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college, or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of general experience directly related to the work of the position. Only successfully completed post- high school education may be used to qualify applicants at the GS-5 level. GS- 7: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-5) in the Federal Service, that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties as a Program Analyst - Informatics. Qualifying specialized experience includes knowledge and use of clinical software packages; prepares reports and presents information effectively; performs data analysis, to include collecting, evaluating, and synthesizing data; and assisting with evaluating and recommending operational process changes. OR Education: One full year of successfully completed graduate level education or superior academic achievement (see Education section below), if related, that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. OR Combination: Equivalent combination of successfully completed education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the position. Only education beyond a bachelor's degree may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-07 level. GS-09: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-7) in the Federal Service, that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties as a Program Analyst - Informatics. Qualifying specialized experience includes knowledge of automation and software systems and options that affect clinical practice; performs data analysis, to include collecting, evaluating, and synthesizing data; assisting in process improvement projects; provides communication channels to clinical and business teams to support deployment, sustainment, and optimize efforts; and preparing reports and graphical presentations of data. OR Education: Successfully completed two years of progressively higher-level graduate education or masters or equivalent graduate degree or LL.B. or J.D., in a related field of the position to be filled. Education at the graduate level must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. OR Combination: Equivalent combination of successfully completed education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the position. Only education in excess of the first year (18 semester hours) may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-09 level. GS-11: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the Federal Service, that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties as a Program Analyst - Informatics. Qualifying specialized experience includes communicating among stakeholders to facilitate and support organizational change; applying a wide range of established practices, theories, and emerging information in relation to health care delivery, informatics, and applications; independently completes analytical projects related to process improvement; experience with data life cycle to include data design, collection, and management to input, retrieve, analyze, summarize, and present information; and knowledge and use of national database architecture and file structure. OR Education: Successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.M. if related that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. OR Combination: Equivalent combination of successfully completed education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the position as outlined above that meets the requirements of the position. Only education in excess of a master's or equivalent graduate education may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-11 level. GS-12: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-11) in the Federal Service, that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties as a Program Analyst - Informatics. Qualifying specialized experience includes independently performing a full range of data analysis, to include collecting, evaluating, and synthesizing of data; applies an end-to-end process to evaluate workflows, identify issues, and develop solutions based on best practice guidelines; experienced knowledge and use of national database architecture and file structure, analytical techniques, and clinical applications development techniques; acquainted with technologies that are likely to benefit healthcare delivery processes to troubleshoot functionality issues and develop solutions; and ensures the success of multidisciplinary teams to lead and manage informatics-related projects. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-5 to GS-12.
Duties include, but may not be limited to the following: Uses communication, education, and leadership to support comprehension of and adaptation to organizational updates. Guides the evolution of clinical software and processes by ensuring clinical software are available for staff use in addition to training on these programs. Contributes to the development of software enhancements, guides process improvement activities, and partners with colleagues working on information technology (IT) for the better provision of patient care by clinical and business staff. Cultivates a healthy working relationship between the Office of Information and Technology (OIT) and Health Informatics, allowing for routine dialog to enable the sustainment and optimization of our health IT solutions and workflows, for the benefit of all staff and Veterans. Evaluates content quality and assures access to knowledge resources, eliminating redundancy in duplicate data sources, and improving information interoperability across the organization. Applies statistical (quantitative information derived mathematically), machine learning (use of artificial intelligence to derive knowledge from data to predict outcomes), visualization (representation of data via a chart or other image), inferencing (a way to understand cause-and-effect relationships) and other techniques to enable decision support. Utilizes or develops reports and information tools using a variety of methods and tools such as Structured Query language (SQL), SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) from the VISN and the VA Corporate Data Warehouse. Enables healthcare capabilities and the evolution of technology adjoined to the electronic health record (EHR) to deliver quality care by developing, implementing, monitoring, maintaining, and optimizing informatics tools and access to them. Serves as a subject matter expert in the visual depiction of process flow diagrams, assisting end-users with correct interpretation of symbols and diagrams that reflect their work activities. Ensures clinical input in the development and management of the VHA business architecture. Participates in actions to evaluate, test, and report on errors found when working with systems and applications. Applies a true end-to-end process to evaluate workflows, identify issues, develop solutions based on best practice guidelines, and resolves and communicates changes to maintain and optimize processes that deliver Health Information Technology (HIT) solutions. Uses communication, education, and leadership to support comprehension of and adaptation to organizational updates. Performs activities that support the management and delivery of educational experiences using information solutions and technology in all areas of healthcare. Performs other duties as assigned. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: 7:00am- 3:30 pm, 7:30am- 4:00pm, 8:00am- 4:30pm Telework: This position may be authorized for Ad-hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: GS-5 99395-S, GS-7 99396-S, GS-9 99397-S, GS-11 99398-S, GS-12 99399-S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized