Physical Therapist (Service Line Manager)

Duties

General Description:

The incumbent serves as the Sensory & Physical Rehabilitation (SPR) Service Line Manager (SLM), managing complex disciplines and condition specific programs within the medical center that provide specialized rehabilitative services. Supervisory responsibilities cover multiple disciplines and he/she oversees and has final local decision making authority, responsibility, and accountability on issues affecting the SPR Service Line. The SPR SLM collaborates with local operations and the VISN SPR Director to ensure integrated goals and priorities for the Service Line. He/she also works closely with peers in other Service Lines to meet their needs as internal customers. The incumbent is knowledgeable of the overall VISN and medical center goals, missions, and priorities to assure a positive impact on other programs and resources. In addition, this SLM also serves as subject matter expert in their licensed discipline and has the ultimate responsibility for academic programming for trainees, to include the Master's and Associate degree programs, overseeing compliance with both medical center policies and the affiliating schools. 

The incumbent is ultimately responsible for the successful performance of the following functional areas, specifically with regard to compliance with regulations and policies, customer satisfaction, quality of services provided, and efficiency of service delivery:

• Audiology Services

• Physiatry services, to include Physical Medicine, Amputee, and Spinal Cord Injury/Disorder clinics

• Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R), to include Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech

     & Language Pathology, and Restorative Care.

• Recreation Therapy Services

• Polytrauma/Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Program

• Visual Impairment Service Team (VIST) Program

Functions of the Position:

Administrative:  

• The incumbent directs all administrative activities of the Service Line including budget and fiscal management, human resources management, strategic planning, and program management and evaluation. He/She participates in top management discussions, decisions, and policy-making and provides program direction to other executives, managers, and assigned personnel.

Clinical:

• The incumbent manages a diverse Service Line, which provides rehabilitative and health care services central to the mission of this medical center. Establishes Service Line objective congruent with and reflective of the philosophy and objectives of the VISN and the Medical Center. The nature of the work performed by the staff is very diverse and the incumbent utilizes his/her wide knowledge of clinical information to assure provision of quality care. Short and long-range goals vary within each functional area and Service Line, utilizing input and feedback from front line staff.
• Incumbent is ultimately responsible for all clinical activities of the Service Line, including services provided, competencies of staff, and assuring that the clinical functions are integrated in order to provide optimum utilization of resources. Participates in top management discussions, decisions, and policy-making regarding provision of patient care services.
• As a licensed physical or occupational therapist, he/she is also able to perform evaluations and assessments of complex medical/surgical conditions on both the patient and outpatient populations, to include specialized diagnostic tests and evaluations.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday from 8:00AM to 4:30PM (unless negotiated otherwise).

PD or FS Title/#: FS-000000

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• U.S. Citizenship:  Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

• English Language Proficiency: Must be Proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d).

• **Education:**Graduate from a degree program in physical therapy from an approved college or university approved by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). The CAPTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to accredit entry-level physical therapy programs (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED).

  NOTE: Effective, January 1, 2002, CAPTE changed its scope of accrediting activities of PT education programs to include only those programs that culminate in post-baccalaureate degrees.

• Licensure: Current, full, active, and unrestricted license to practice physical therapy in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.

• NOTE: The Physical Therapist must maintain full, current and unrestricted license as required by state statute (COPY OF LICENSURE IS REQUIRED).

 

Preferred Experience: Physical Therapy Practice and Administration. Quality Improvement or System Redesign.  

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; religions; 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.

Grade Determinations for the GS-14 Grade Level: Possess the completion of one (1) year of progressively responsible assignments and experience at the GS-13 grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics (KSAOs) that are directly related to the specific assignment (Please refer to KSAOs listed in the vacancy announcement for reference). 

NOTE: YOUR EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND LICENSURE MUST BE WELL DOCUMENTED IN YOUR CV/RESUME AND MUST SUPPORT YOUR RESPONSES THAT YOU SELECT IN ORDER TO RECEIVE CREDIT.

Education, Experience and Licensure: In addition to the basic requirements, completion of 1 year of progressively responsible assignments and experience at the GS-13 level which demonstrates knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics that are directly related to the specific assignment.

Assignments: Assignments for PTs at this grade level include but are not limited to: 

Service Chief of Rehabilitation Service or Service/Care Line Manager for a Medical Center or for a VISN Service/Care Line: An individual in this assignment manages complex sections within the medical center that provide specialized rehabilitative services, or in a Service/Care Line at a complex facility or at a VISN level. Supervisory responsibilities cover multiple disciplines and/or multiple facilities that may be separated geographically. The individual is responsible for ensuring the coordination of multiple rehabilitation related services provided, as well as an optimal collaboration with other healthcare providers within the facility. This individual oversees the work of subordinate employees and assures the accuracy of reports submitted by therapy supervisors, clinical specialists, clinical education coordinators, or team/program leaders. These positions are typically located at VA medical centers or healthcare systems that are complex in nature and are affiliated with local colleges and universities. In addition to completion of 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level, PTs assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAOs:

a. Advanced knowledge of evidence-based practices and clinical practice guidelines in multiple professional areas, and the ability to use these resources to guide the program staff in providing clinically appropriate treatment interventions.
b. Skill in interpersonal relationships and conflict resolution in dealing with a diverse range of employees, team leaders, and administrators.
c. Ability to manage budgets for a large, integrated service including not only physical therapy, but also other focused rehabilitation, ancillary, or other health care services.
d. Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with a diverse group of professional staff.
e. Ability to translate extensive rehabilitation knowledge into cogent and useful policy in complex facilities and/or across multiple sites.
f. Demonstrated skill in providing clinical and administrative oversight of multidisciplinary rehabilitation programs in complex facilities and/or across multiple sites.
g. Ability to collaborate with strategic planning committees at local, VISN or national levels for new ventures addressing patient care delivery systems, facilities management, system reorganizations, etc.

References: This can be found in the local Human Resources Office in VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G12 for Physical Therapist Qualification Standard.  

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 (COPY OF CERTIFICATE OF FOREIGN EQUIVALENCY).