Summary The Health System Specialist -Credentialing and Privileging Specialist is assigned to the Medical Staff Office, which is under the Chief of Staff, located at the Veterans Healthcare System in Leavenworth, KS. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-9. At the GS-7 grade level, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-9. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds. This position is responsible for providing administrative and technical direction and support to the credentialing and privileging (C&P) operations. The C&P Specialist is aligned to and supervised by the C&P Manager. The incumbent ensures compliance with VHA policies, directives, memos and notices of The Joint Commission (TJC) standards, recommendations by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) and Government Accountability Office (GAO) and other internal or external auditors and reviewers as appropriate. The incumbent is responsible for collecting relevant data and making informed decisions to ensure qualified health care professionals are providing appropriate care in appropriate settings. Duties include, but may not be not limited to: Performs as the subject matter expert (SME) to Licensed Independent Providers (LIPs) and Service Chiefs regarding routine and complex matters related to C&P. Assists the C&P Manager/Analyst in developing short- and long-term goals necessary to accomplish the mission of the C&P program. Assists the C&P Manager/Analyst in drafting local credentialing processes and Medical Staff Bylaws in compliance with all applicable regulations. Receives and reviews VetPro reports detecting problem areas requiring further investigation. Informs the C&P Manager/Analyst of trends identified, audit results and identified problems that may affect a provider's privilege status. Provides guidance and instruction to hospital staff in completing the required documentation of establishing privileges for LIPs. Assures application packages and other documents meet technical requirements per specialty of the provider and assures application folder and database account (VetPro or other internal databases and spreadsheets) meet technical requirements. Serves as technical advisor to the Executive Committee of the Medical Staff (ECMS) and if applicable the Credentials Committee. Develops and provides routine and special reports as requested by the C&P Manager/Analyst. Establishes and maintains a variety of files and records pertaining to the C&P process. Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday-Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm Ad-Hoc Telework: This position may be authorized for Ad-Hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 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. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Physical Requirements: The work is mostly sedentary. Occasionally, light physical effort may be required, such as that involved with walking, stair climbing, and carrying light office items. The work is performed in an office setting which requires normal safety precautions typical for offices and meeting rooms. The work area is adequately lit, heated, and ventilated. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this Health Systems Specialist GS-7 level position, you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience, equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-5) in Federal Service, that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a Health System Specialist - Credentialing and Privileging Specialist at a developmental level, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Qualifying specialized experience is defined as 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: (1) Missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems; (2) Regulations and standards of various regulatory and credentialing groups; and (3) Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement. OR Education: Successful completion of one (1) full year of graduate education. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position (i.e., hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration). NOTE: Copies of transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR Combination: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position (i.e. hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as course work in health care administration). Only education beyond a bachelor's degree may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-07 level. NOTE: Copies of transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): SAA at the baccalaureate level in the coursework detailed above is fully qualifying. Applicants who wish to apply under this provision must submit proof from their educational institution that they meet one of the criteria listed below. To qualify for SAA, applicants must have completed all the requirements for a bachelor's degree in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled and meet one of the following: Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university or major subdivision. A grade-point average of "B" (a GPA of 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. A grade point average of "B+" (a GPA of 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all courses in your major field of study, or those courses in your major completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. Membership in a national honor society (other than freshman honor societies) recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. To qualify for this position at the GS-9 level, you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience, equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7) in Federal Service, that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a Health System Specialist - Credentialing and Privileging, and includes performing duties associated with healthcare credentialing and privileging. Qualifying specialized experience is defined as 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: (1) Missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems; (2) Regulations and standards of various regulatory and credentialing groups; and (3) Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement and (3) Investigates and reports discrepancies to leadership. OR Education: Requires successful completion of a master's or equivalent graduate degree, successfully completed two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, LL.B or J.D. if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position (i.e., hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration). NOTE: Copies of transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR Combination: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position (i.e. hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as course work in health care administration). NOTE: Copies of transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. For a list of recognized honor societies please visit http://www.achsnatl.org/quick_link.asp. For more information regarding SAA please visit http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/SEC-II/s2-e5.asp#e4f You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Communications Compliance Quality Assurance Technical Competence IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov). Additional Information Note: Per "Executive Order 14251: Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs", this position is no longer eligible for bargaining unit participation. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. 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.
