The Regional Amputation Center (RAC) Certified Prosthetist-Orthotist provides leadership for regional O&P Services and works under the supervision of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service (PMRS) Section Chief and RAC Medical Director in collaboration with the VISN Prosthetics representative. ECHCS is designated as one of seven specialized Regional Amputation Centers in the National Amputation System of Care to enhance and improve the already implemented coordinated system of care. 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: Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: Orthotists, prosthetists, or orthotist/prosthetists must be proficient in spoken and written as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d). Education: (1) A bachelor's degree or higher in orthotics and prosthetics from a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredited program. OR (2) 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. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grandfathering Provision: Orthotists, prosthetists, or orthotist/prosthetists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (1) Orthotists, prosthetists, or orthotist/prosthetists that do not meet the basic requirements for education and certification may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (2) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. (3) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or certification that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. (4) If an employee who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: Orthotist - Prosthetist GS-14 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 KSAs and demonstrate the potential to acquire the assignment-specific KSAs designated by an asterisk (*): *1. Ability to manage and supervise prosthetic and orthotic laboratories, conduct site visits, and review the functional level of each lab. 2. Knowledge of ABC, BOC, OSHA, and JCAHO standards and Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service policies and ability to apply these in the daily operations of orthotic and prosthetic laboratories. *3. Ability to provide training in new technologies involving CAD/CAM systems and devices such as computerized foot orthoses, myoelectric prostheses, and energy storing components, neuro and brain machine interface systems. 4. Ability to apply knowledge of the theories and principles used in orthotics and prosthetics to teach custom design and fabrication of devices that are innovative, complex, and/or unusual in nature. *5. Ability to function as a team member or leader with orthotists, prosthetists, and other professionals on committees to review local and national agenda items and to make recommendations based on the review. 6. Ability to develop reports and present at the national level to VHA leadership, Congressional members, and organizations such as AAOP, AOPA, and VSOs. Preferred Experience: VA experience within the Amputee System of Care preferred. This position will require autonomous work within ECHCS, VISN 19, and the National Amputee System of Care as a subject matter expert in orthotics and prosthetics. The incumbent will be involved in interdisciplinary team management of the CARF accredited amputation program. This position includes administrative duties, clinical duties, and serves as a resource throughout the Regional Amputee Center's catchment area. 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-14. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-14. Physical Requirements: Orthotics and Prosthetics is a vocation that requires regular and recurring physical exertion with long periods of standing, bending, walking and periods of lifting / carrying items. This hospital has a policy of NO PATIENT LIFT, meaning that mechanical lifts are available to assist with safe patient transfers without lifting patients directly. Manual dexterity is also required to manipulate tools and equipment with activities such as assembling equipment with the use of hand tools such as screwdriver or pliers, and power tools such as a power chop saw and others related to fabrication and adjustment of orthoses and prostheses. Administrative work is primarily sedentary, and the incumbent will require prolonged periods of sitting for this. Tasks may also involve walking, standing, reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling, crouching, or carrying items of various weight. Pre-placement and periodic physical examinations are required for hybrid occupations to ensure workers are placed in positions where they can perform the essential functions of their job considering their physical, mental, and emotional capacities, without endangering their health or the health of their co-workers. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. ["Clinical Care 1.Acts as a Regional and National resource/consultant with significant multidisciplinary involvement in the care of Veterans with amputations 2.Provides expert level direct clinical skills in the evaluation, prescription formulation, fitting, alignment, and delivery of orthotic and prosthetic devices. 3.Considers new and emerging technologies in designing unique or innovative devices to accommodate or treat a wide range of complex medical conditions. 4.Utilizes effective communication skills at all levels to enhance team functioning and clinical care. 5.Develops, implements and documents in CPRS the evaluation and treatment plan for an assigned caseload of patients. 6.Manages the efficient use and ownership of diagnostic equipment such as CAD/CAM and gait analysis equipment. 7.Utilizes telehealth practices to enhance the regional care of Veterans with amputations. Business Operations 1.Provides leadership for the RAC, the ASoC, and Prosthetics and Sensory Aids, to develop and implement a strategic plan to accomplish the goals of the VA National Amputation System of Care. 2.In collaboration with local Prosthetics leadership, ensures that Prosthetic and Orthotic laboratories meet industry standards, and provide quality products and services to patients. 3.Assesses, in collaboration with local Prosthetics leadership, VA Orthotist/Prosthetist certification and accreditation of VA Orthotic/Prosthetic clinical services. 4.Regularly reviews FLOW reports. Develops and implements process improvement process when indicated. Ensures regional sites of care are using FLOW reports, and provides support when necessary for training, implementation, process improvement, etc. 5.Monitors and implements regional compliance for accreditation of Orthotic/Prosthetic clinical services with all relative credentialing organizations, e.g. JC, CARF, NCOPE, ABC, BOC, CARF, etc., and certification/registration, competency assessments, peer reviews, and National Provider Identifier registration of all clinical staff within the region. 6.Acts as a VA orthotic and prosthetic laboratory representative on local, regional, and/or national prosthetic clinical management workgroups. 7.Participates in CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) preparation for the Amputation Team, including but not limited to: providing reports on various metrics, process improvement, and strategic planning. Regulatory Issues 1.Serves as a SME for O&P related CMS issues. 2.May serve as a member of the O&P L-code committee. 3.Responsible for compliance of national VA handbooks and directives related to the ASoC. 4.Active participant in CARF preparation and ensuring the Regional Amputation Center meets all CARF standards in relations to O&P services, including regular reporting to the CARF Leadership Team, providing reports, written analyses, trends, action plans, and performance improvement. 5.Provides timely reports for O&P services for CARF, local team metrics, VISN metrics, and Regional metrics, in a manner that best serves the program. Education 1.Monitors and implements regional education including via videoconference in compliance of electronic workload capture, coding, pricing, recording of patient encounters, quality control and quality assurance measures, check out procedures, competency assessments, scope of practice reviews and progress notes of all clinical staff within the region. 2.Serves as liaison between existing prosthetic and orthotic schools and medical school affiliations. 3.Coordinates and develops continuing education programs. 4.Participates in planning committees for the annual VA O&P breakout session, planning for ASoC educational conferences, and Prosthetic Leadership Board Education Committee 5.Develops innovative educational materials and processes to enhance the expertise of providers from a wide array of backgrounds, within the medical center, university, and the community, and throughout the geographic region defined by the RAC. 6.Participates in educational programs, providing presentations at local & national level conferences & educational events. 7.Ability to apply knowledge of the theories and principles used in orthotics and prosthetics to care for patients and teach other healthcare providers in the design and fabrication of devices that are innovative, complex and/or unusual in nature. Research 1.Supports or conducts, coordinates and facilitates Prosthetic and Orthotic Research on a local, regional, and national level. 2.Collaborates with research institutions, both government and non-government, to advance the state of knowledge within the prosthetic and orthotic profession. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:00am - 3:30pm (As Determined by Service) Telework: Available (Ad-Hoc) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 554-58518-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized"]

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