Summary

This position is with the Office of Information Technology. The purpose of this position is to function as a Behavioral Health Informaticist who understands, evaluates, and improves the utilization of information technology systems, specifically in behavioral health settings. The incumbent reports to the Supervisory Physician (Informaticist) or designee.

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Duties

Total Compensation Package - Check out IHS's outstanding total compensation package for this job:

IT Specialist Total Compensation | Pay (ihs.gov)

Leadership in Behavioral Health and General Clinical Informatics

• Convene and lead groups of subject matter experts (SME) in behavioral health and other healthcare disciplines to identify best practices and achieve consensus for standardization of workflow design and configuration in existing and new health information systems.
• Serve as a liaison between the Office of Information Technology (OIT) and select Indian Health Service (IHS) Headquarters offices and divisions responsible for programmatic guidance of various disciplines including behavioral health, to ensure that the data needs of these programs are considered in health information technology (HIT) system selection and configuration.
• Serve as a recognized expert and liaison in the subject area of clinical informatics and serves in a professional manner in performance of duties between IHS, Tribal, and Urban (I/T/U) users, state, local healthcare organizations, external and internal stakeholders and software development staff.
• Represent OIT on specific professional specialty groups (PSG) or technical advisory groups (TAG), as assigned.
• Maintain currency with literature, standards development organizations, and other expert groups concerning the interface between clinical practice and information systems.
• Prepare briefing papers, presentations, or other documents concerning activities, progress, goals, accomplishments, or risks in areas of responsibility that may be used to inform senior staff, IHS area leadership, tribes and urban Indian organizations, or other agencies.
  
  

Health Information Technology (I/T) Innovation

• Conduct market research, independently and in collaboration with appropriate OIT and colleagues on products and systems that may be useful in improving care and outcomes for IHS facilities and patients.
• Document findings and recommendations in formats accessible to business sponsors and leaders who do not have deep technical knowledge.
• Conduct fact-finding and systems analysis relative to the implementation of HIT clinical software applications.
• Evaluate and makes recommendations to support implementation and modification of planned or proposed software changes or administrative policies for clinical software.
• Utilize expertise and independent judgment to select and develop methods to meet long-term objectives for new healthcare software applications.
• Evaluate, interprets, and implements regulations, mandates, and industry standards for HIT system functionality, performance, interoperability, security, and usability.
• Interface with HIT product vendors and/or support contractors regarding IHS system configuration requirements or product enhancement requests.
• Ensure that human factors considerations are part of the deliberations and decisions regarding clinical workflows and system configurations.
  
  

Policy and Other Duties

• Authors, updates, and/or reviews guidance and policies, such as those embodied in the Indian Health Manual (IHM), that reflect the best practice recommendations of SME groups.
• Represent the IHS and the OIT, as assigned, on inter-agency or public/private collaborative workgroups whose duties may range from policy development to the creation of functional and interoperability standards for health information software and electronic health record (EHR) systems.
• Collaborate, as time permits and as approved by leadership, in inter-agency initiatives relating to optimal utilization of health information systems and data to improve healthcare and outcomes.
• Ensure the protection of sensitive patient data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, the Healthcare and Affordability Act, Capital Planning Investment Control (CPIC), Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), and other applicable laws, federal regulations and IHS statutes and policies.
• Responsible for protecting data from unauthorized release, loss, alteration, or deletion; and follows applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc.
  
  

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Selectee may be subject to a probationary period

U.S. Citizenship is required

Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959

Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.

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Background Investigation: If you are selected for this vacancy, you must undergo a pre-employment fingerprint check and background investigation. Fingerprint results and background investigation documentation must be cleared prior to hire. After you begin your employment, your continued employment is contingent upon the outcome of a complete background investigation as determined by the sensitivity level of your position. The investigation must find that you are suitable for Federal employment in your position. If you are found not suitable, you will be terminated after you begin work. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work; or subject to possible criminal charges. You may be subject to a credit check as a part of the background investigation process.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.

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; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

Basic Requirements

• Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
• Customer Service - Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.
• Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
• Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.
  
  

In addition to the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below.

Minimum Qualifications

GS-13: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level.

Your Resume Must Demonstrate At Least One (1) Year Of Specialized Experience Equivalent To At Least The Next Lower Grade Level In The Federal Service Obtained In Either The Private Or Public Sector Performing The Following Type Of Work And/or Tasks

• Using behavioral health and clinical informatics expertise, lead the configuration of technology to maximize value for competing stakeholders including behavioral health providers, other providers, and patients.
• Identify and describe the clinical, technological, organizational, and regulatory requirements necessary to ensure successful development and implementation of technology as pertains to behavioral health service delivery.
• Convene, lead, and navigate complicated discussions between competing stakeholders with professionalism and aplomb, leveraging behavioral health expertise to build rapport and trust.
  
  

NOTE: You must meet all examples of specialized experience listed above.

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

Education

There are no education requirements.

Additional information

Additional selection(s) of candidates may be possible within 240 days from the date the certificate of eligibles was issued for this announcement.

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. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave.

This position is covered by a Bargaining Unit.

This position has no promotion potential.

This position is being announced concurrently under the Excepted Service/Merit Promotion procedures. Please review vacancy announcement number IHS-25-HQ-12732268-ESEP/MP for eligibility requirements. NOTE: Applicants must apply separately for each announcement in order to be considered.

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• Help A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  

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