Health System Specialist (Credentialing and Privileging)

Summary

The Health System Specialist is assigned to the Medical Staff Office, which is under the Chief of Staff at the West Haven, Connecticut VA Medical Center (VAMC). The incumbent is responsible for conducting analytical reviews, managing and tracking data, and serving as an advisor to VAMC leadership on key processes related to the Credentialing and Privileging (C&P) program of the VAMC.

Duties

Health System Specialist GS-0671-09 Major duties include, but are not limited to: Implementing, maintenance, and updating of Focused Professional Practice Evaluations (FPPE) and Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluations (OPPE) monitoring systems in support of all divisions of the VAMC. Working collaboratively with VAMC leadership, healthcare providers, the C&P administrative specialists, and other administrative teams in managing the FPPE and the OPPE for the C&P Program. Analyzing clinical evaluation plans to assure that they meet standards and are thorough and appropriate to measure and document the clinical competence of the Licensed Independent Practitioner (LIP). Gathering, analyzing, documenting and tracking program data from beginning to end ensuring program compliance. Lead consultant for the VAMC Report Card data related to the C&P Program. Identifying issues and recommends corrective actions to supervisor, VAMC leaders, or administrative support personnel as appropriate. Ensuring initiation, completion and compliance of FPPE and OPPE clinical evaluations to include providing guidance and assistance in accordance with all requirements and standards. Reviewing and completing quarterly reports required by VA Central Office. Managing special projects for new program initiatives and requirements and for process improvements and changes. Providing technical guidance and supports program leadership by conducting and analyzing healthcare provider industry studies. Proficient in using credentialing management systems (VetPro or comparable) and standard office software (word processing, spreadsheet, email, database). Performs other duties within the C&P program as assigned. Work Schedule: Full-time; 40 hours; Monday- Friday, 7:30am- 4:00pm EST Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist (Credentialing and Privileging)/PD99877S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. Notifications: This position is not a Bargaining Unit position. Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held. This position is in the Competitive Service. Time-in-Grade Restriction: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements. The grade may have been in any occupation but must have been held in the Federal service. Veterans' preference does not apply for current permanent Federal agency employees.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/05/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Health System Specialist GS-0671-09 INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT: Positions in the occupational series 0671 MUST MEET 1 of the following bullet points: Undergraduate or Graduate Education: Major study -- hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) OR; Specialized Experience: Possess progressively responsible analytical or administrative, or clinical management or supervisory experience in the health care field. This work may have been performed in an operating health care facility or a higher organizational echelon with advisory or directional authority over such facilities. Work must have involved a close working relationship with facility managers and analysis and/or coordination of administrative, clinical, or other service activities, and provided knowledge of the following: Missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems; Regulations and standards of various regulatory and credentialing groups; and Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement. OR; Special Provision for Inservice Placement: Successful completion of an agency-sponsored on-the-job training program may be substituted for qualifying experience, provided it included a formal individualized training plan. Such a training program must have been conducted in an operating health care system and included: Assignments providing a knowledge of basic health system administration philosophies, practices, and procedures, and basic government administrative policies and requirements; Practical assignments providing an opportunity to apply health system administration skills and principles (as the individual progresses, work assignments must be characteristic of the grade level to which he or she is assigned); and Oversight by an experienced health system administrator with periodic evaluation of the individual's progress and appropriate adjustment of the training program. GRADE REQUIREMENTS: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-09 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-07) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: performing duties ensuring accurate provider data is entered into and maintained in the VetPro computer program. Ensuring current information is present on providers relative to state licensure, Drug Enforcement Organization (DEA) license, National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) Continuous Query (CQ) enrollments and renewals, Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), documentation of professional education, specialty medical training, certifications, adverse licensure or privileging actions, initial and renewal of privileges which may affect the status of privileges granted for medical practice. Informing C&P Manager/Analyst of trends identified, audit results and identified problems that may affect a provider's privilege status; . OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or successfully completed two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.B or J.D., if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary t