Summary Asynchronous eye telehealth programs provide eyecare when distance and/or time separate patient and providers. The VISN 6 TeleEye Hub Clinical Coordinator supports the Technology-based Eye Care Services (TECS) TeleEye program. The major responsibilities of position include patient education, equipment and technology support, clinical triage, care coordination, staff training, and competency assessment. Responsibilities Duties include but are not limited to the following: In person and remote Technician and Imager training and competency assessment, program development, equipment support, patient recruitment, patient triage for most appropriate and timely care, patient education about eye conditions/eye care in the VA or community and coordinating follow up appointments, lead program meetings and trainings, manage operational aspects of the program (e.g., consults, encounters, episode match, monitor scheduling and clinic utilization), service recovery activities, informatics related support (e.g., progress note templates, reminder dialogues), quality and continuous improvement activities, attend meetings and relay information to staff. Ability to educate patients about specific ocular disease processes once diagnosis is provided by the provider. Understanding of advanced ocular diagnostics including OCT, fundus photographs, visual field testing, image middleware systems (e.g., Forum) and how the equipment/images are transferred across the network to Vista Imaging and middleware/eye PACS system. Review medical records and triage patients to the appropriate eye care delivery model including, but not limited to, telemedicine appointments, in-person comprehensive eye appointments, subspecialty eye appointments, and community care. Triage patient issues over the phone or other virtual methods and identify the correct eye care delivery method that the patient should utilize. Facilitate interactions between community care, non-eye providers, and eye providers (both telemedicine and in-person), and the patient. Serve as a backup technician to work up telemedicine patients to maintain access as needed. Perform thorough preparatory cleaning of ocular imaging equipment and critical reusable medical equipment used in eye telemedicine sites. Responsible for coordinating and assessing initial and ongoing training and competency and performing onsite and remote training of other eye telemedicine technicians at the local, regional, and national level. Assist in TeleEye staff orientation. Assist in implementation of eye telemedicine sites regarding image workflow and connection and troubleshooting of cameras/equipment to the VA network. Perform site visits to implementing eye telemedicine sites to support program development and build relationships with local staff. Receive and appropriately triage CPRS alerts and notify eye providers of the alerts that require attention. Promote the reading workflow of the eye providers, including, but not limited to, coordinating eye provider reading schedule, coordinating urgent eye care appointments, registering patients in CPRS for reading, connecting providers to patients, connecting providers to community care team or outside providers for urgent consults. Coordinate administrative and clinical operations for eye telehealth programs across the VISN along with VISN eye telehealth program leaders, including, but not limited to, workload capture (e.g., encounter closure, encounter match/orphans), consult management, monitoring workflow, providing input on performance, resolving daily workplace issues, and maintaining efficient flow of patient care. They may provide training for eye care staff, students and/or trainees; and may provide input into special advancements, promotions, and disciplinary actions. Other duties as assigned. Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am-5:00pm Compressed/Flexible: Available, approved at the discretion of the supervisor. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: as determined by the agency policy. This position could be approved for Mid-Term Extensions (MTE). MTE allows for the facility leader to grant employees in the identified positions an extension up to 180-days to RTO; in which case approved positions would be approved locally to grant telework/remote for those 180-days. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a trial period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Qualifications Candidate must reside within a 50 mile radius of a VISN 6 Facility 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. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Experience and Education (1) Experience: One year of experience in a health care field, such as but not limited to nursing, medical assistant, or health technician. OR (2) Education. Two years above high school with a minimum of six semester hours directly related to a health care field or associate's degree in a health care related degree. OR (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. Examples of experience: (a) Six months of experience in the health care field; and one year above high school; or (b) Six months of experience in the health care field and successful completion of a course for health care technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or ophthalmology technicians given by the U.S. Armed Forces; or (c) Six months of experience in the health care field and completion of an independent study course in Ophthalmic Medical Assisting. Certification: All applicants must be certified as a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) with the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO). The COA certification is JCAHPO's entry-level certification examination for a Health Technician (Ophthalmology). Grade Determinations Lead Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-9: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-8 grade level. Examples of Specialized Experience includes: Responsible for obtaining patient physical history, to include chief complaint; reason for visit; pertinent signs/symptoms; past history both ocular and general; family history both ocular and general; social history; and review of medications and allergies, including current ocular prescription and non-prescription medications. Accurately tests visual acuity at distance and near, with and without correction or with and without a pinhole. Measures eyeglass prescription using manual or automated lensometer, recording sphere, cylinder, axis, and prism in both plus and minus cylinder. Performs pupil evaluation recording pupil size, 6 shape, symmetry, reaction to light and accommodation, and any abnormalities, including relative afferent pupillary defect. Performs basic refractometry utilizing an auto refraction or habitual glass prescription in the phoropter. Instills eye medications (i.e., drops or ointments, including anesthetic, dye, dilation, cycloplegic, or antibiotics. Responsible for measuring intraocular pressure of the eye utilizing techniques, including Goldmann applanation tonometry. Performs pachymetry to determine corneal thickness and manual keratometry or automated topography to determine corneal curvature. Performs intra-ocular lens calculations using the IOL Master. Performs automated visual field testing using various perimetry machines. Performance of external photographs and fundus photography. Performs optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the anterior segment, retina and optic nerve. Performs patient screening and triage emergencies identifying ocular emergencies. Performs patient screening and telephone triage for immediate care. Assists during clinic-based ophthalmic surgery, including revision of wounds, biopsies of the eyelid lesions, cultures of conjunctiva, or cornea; reformation of anterior chamber, evacuation of hyphema, repositioning of corneal endothelial grafts, intra-vitreous injections, and laser surgical procedures. Educates patients and legal authorized representatives in eye care, including preoperative and postoperative instructions. Assists in the education and training of medical students, residents and fellows in those facilities with medical school affiliations. Ensures proper cleaning and disinfection; calibration, maintenance, backup, annual inventory and ordering of instruments, supplies and equipment; obtains quotes as needed; and reports needed repairs to biomedical engineering. In addition to the experience above, you must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Ability to work with a team to provide technical guidance, plan, organize, and coordinate activities of a Health Technician (Ophthalmology) in order to effectively complete job duties of assignment such as distributing workload, monitoring the status and progress of work, monitoring accuracy of work, etc.; Ability to communicate effectively in order to meet program objectives. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels; Ability to assist in Health Technician (Ophthalmology) development, outcome management, and strategic planning; and Ability to act as liaison between Health Technicians (Ophthalmology) to resolve informal employee complaints and concerns. Preferred Experience: VA Asynchronous TeleEye care, VA Synchronous TeleEye care, Technology-based Eye Care Services (TECS), TeleEye screening, TeleLow Vision, TeleEye Virtual Exam System (TEVES), training adult learners, program coordination and management, patient education & service recovery. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. This grade is above full performance level. Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity, adequate auditory perception, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially extended periods of computer use, virtual care equipment use, sitting and/or standing. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are verbally combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations and able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must meet Employee Health mandates as a condition of employment. Education Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
