The Supervisory Orthotist-Prosthetist position is located at the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Prosthetics Service. The Supervisory Orthotist-Prosthetist at this level is to administer, supervise, or perform work concerned with providing clinical and laboratory prosthetic and orthotic services to disabled patients within the Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System. 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: United States Citizenship. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education. A bachelor's degree or higher in orthotics and prosthetics from a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredited program. OR, A bachelor's degree or higher in any major along with a post-graduate orthotics or prosthetics certificate from a CAAHEP accredited program. Board Certification. Candidates must be board certified by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC) or the Board for Orthotist/Prosthetist Certification (BOC) as an orthotist, prosthetist, or orthotist/prosthetist. The board certificate must be current and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirements for continuing education. Certification as a technician, pedorthist, assistant or fitter does not meet this requirement. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. English Language Proficiency. Orthotists, prosthetists, or orthotist/prosthetists must be proficient in spoken and written as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d). Grade Determinations:GS-13 Supervisory Orthotist/Prosthetist Experience. Completion of 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSA and demonstrate the potential to acquire the assignment specific KSAs designated by an asterisk (*): Knowledge of regulatory requirements established by ABC, BOC, NCOPE, IAOP, AAOP, JCAHO, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMMS), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), etc., in order to provide advice to VISN management of the implementation of those requirements. Knowledge of administrative functions including budget development and management, inventory management, space and workload planning, as well as knowledge of the National Prosthetic Patient Database, a knowledge of the Prosthetic National Software package, CPRS, DSS and knowledge of accreditation requirements for orthotic and prosthetic laboratories and knowledge of certification requirements for clinical staff in order to develop VISN guidelines and policies, allocate resources within the VISN, and project future workload for the VISN. Ability to analyze data and provide reports using HCPC codes and other patient database information from VISN orthotic and prosthetic laboratories and to provide such reports to VISN management. Ability to serve as a consultant to orthotists/prosthetists within the VISN on emerging technologies, the most difficult and complex cases, changes in policy, etc. Ability to supervise. Assignments. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Candidates at this grade level are in one of the following assignments: Supervisory Orthotist/Prosthetist. The orthotist/prosthetist at this level serves as the supervisor and laboratory manager for large laboratories or multiple satellite laboratories. In addition to the responsibilities described at the GS-12 level, this assignment includes serving as a VISN resource/consultant for orthotics and prosthetics; performing or overseeing testing and evaluation of design concepts; overseeing and evaluating contract orthotics and prosthetics vendors. Preferred Experience: 3-5 years as a Supervisor, Manager or Owner of a Prosthetic Lab to manage personalities as well as clinical/administrative operations of a prosthetic/orthotic clinic. Equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates KSAs needed to provide O&P services in a hospital setting Ability to attend clinics and participate in development of treatment plan Ability to conduct clinical analysis of gait, range of motion, life cycle for patients with a wide range of complex medical conditions Has knowledge of medical terminology , anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, kinesiology, physics, and pathologies Graduate level education in O&P from a CAAHEP accredited program and completed an NCOPE residence program to be board eligible. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/91 PART II APPENDIX G32 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS13. Physical Demands: Functions primarily within VA medical facilities; environmental exposures and physical demands vary across the health care systems. This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued sitting, with intermittent bending, pulling, and pushing. Movement between work areas within the health care system is expected. Lifting and carrying of objects up to 50 pounds may be required. The employee might be required to endure brief periods of heat, humidity, etc., as some warehouse areas are not air conditioned. Some climbing may be associated with stocking items in storage areas. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing appropriate to the health care environment. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be capable of working effectively in stressful situations, and be able to shift priorities based on patient and department needs. Will be required to travel throughout the CTVHCS medical centers to ensure the prosthetic program is properly functioning at each location. ["Duties include but are not limited to the following: Planning, developing, and directing an Orthotic-Prosthetic Laboratory and related Clinical Activities at the national, VISN or local level; with an emphasis as a consultant for clinical prosthetics and orthotics at the VISN level. Serving as an advisor to physicians, therapists and other medical professionals with regard to indications and contraindications of prosthetic and orthotic componentry, prescription criteria. Authorizing the purchase, fabrication or repair of prosthetic devices. Maintaining continuous liaison with manufacturers and dealers of prosthetic supplies, inspecting their facilities and services and participating in the award of prosthetic appliance contracts. Participating in investigative/research project studies by selecting patients as pilot wearers of newly developed prosthetic items, evaluating the usefulness of such items and compiling of data. Giving technical and administrative advice and assistance on prosthetic problems to other facilities. Follows established regulations and procedures to insure patient privacy. Conducts gait analysis, range of motion, coordination and balance, motor skills, and clinical assessment studies in accordance with occupational principles for unusual conditions, multiple complex interrelated conditions, etc. Interviews patients to determine expectations, lifestyle, home/work environment, ability to use the device. Takes necessary measurements, casts or scans to develop positive molds of the affected area of the body, which are used to create orthoses and/or prostheses. Recognizes physical abnormalities, deviations, and complicating conditions with potentially life threatening implications. Assesses patient for indications/contra-indications of appropriate treatment protocols and discusses the assessment with the physician/requesting provider for purposes of developing the overall treatment plan. Has considerable influence in the development of the plan. Considers new and emerging technologies in designing unique or innovative devices to accommodate or treat a wide range of complex medical conditions, which include unusual problems or complications. Considers the information developed through the assessment as well as time management work load considerations, designs custom devices using standard components to optimize patient performance for difficult and complex conditions; may include CAD/CAM systems. Selects materials and components to be used in fabrication of the device and determines appropriate equipment to be used in fabrication of the device. Fabricates components, or selects and modifies components, and assembles these into the finished device. Uses CAD/CAM system as appropriate in this process and performs preliminary alignment. Manages and Administers CAD/CAM operation for the VISN as a Clinical Fabrication facility; overseeing these systems. Fits device on patient, assures preliminary alignment, and performs subsequent dynamic alignment using identified biomechanical conditions. Assesses and/or modifies fit and function of the device as fabricated and makes appropriate modifications to insure optimum patient outcome. Evaluates patient's ability to don/doff the device provides training to the patient and/or caregiver in its use and maintenance. This may also include training the clinical staff. Explains procedures and processes to the patient to reduce anxiety and gain support and cooperation in all stages of the process. Maintains the patient's record, including the electronic record, in accordance with established TJC/CARF/ABC/BOC regulatory guidelines for records. Maintains professional credentials and/or competency (ABC/BOC). Observes appropriate, established infection control guidelines. Follows environmental and occupational safety guidelines. Communicates and interacts with physicians, allied health professionals, patient and caregiver in various interdisciplinary clinical settings as a subject matter expert to develop the O&P treatment plan. Provides guidance and direction to lower graded O&P staff. Manages the daily operations of O&P Clinic and fabrication lab. Conducts site surveys of commercial vendors to insure vendor regulatory compliance and evaluates the ability of a vendor to provide a product. Conducts quality assurance activities. When requested, develops recommendations for revisions or improvements of VA Prosthetic/Orthotic Laboratory policies on a VISN or national level. Analyzes training/developmental needs of subordinate employees and makes provisions for this training. Allocates resources within budget and time and staff constraints; effectively using all resources. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30p.m Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
Providing Health Care for Veterans: The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,255 health care facilities, including 170 medical centers and 1,074 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.
