Physical Therapist - Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program

Summary

The incumbent will coordinate with the Chief of Anesthesia Pain Management(APMS), the Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program (CPRP) Medical Director to ensure that both medical and administrative issues effecting patient care and the general operations of the program are addressed. Incumbent is responsible for coordinating, developing, implementing and evaluating activities of the CPRP program in APMS.

Duties

• The clinical coordinator is assigned the responsibilities of Team Leader of various disciplines: physical therapy, occupational therapy, kinesiotherapy, speech, psychologist etc; assisting Medical Director in planning, developing, and implementing effective treatment protocols for clinic in delivering interdisciplinary team services within the CPRP program. The CPRP Clinical Coordinator plans, directs, develops, implements, maintains and provides leadership, and strategic direction for veterans referred to the CPRP within VANTHCS. This assignment requires administrative direction and decision-making skills, but does not necessarily require formal supervisory responsibility for personnel. The clinical coordinator is responsible for mentoring, training and coordinating clinical assignments for multiple professionals comprising an interdisciplinary team (physicians, therapists, nursing, psychologist, primary care providers and others). In the capacity of a clinical specialist, the incumbent performs clinical, consultative, educational and related research functions according to principles of cooperative interdisciplinary team organization and administration. Day to day programmatic oversight will be provided by the designated CPRP Medical Director; however, the incumbent must be comfortable making independent decisions in regard to CPRP program coordination and client care. Within the interdisciplinary team, case management judgments are made in consultation with appropriate staff members regarding cases of unusual complexity. The incumbent tracks CPRP data on an ongoing basis. Duties Clinical Practice & Case Management - Performs comprehensive functional assessments, including medical record review and preadmission screening. - Ensures timely consults, evaluations, interventions, and follow-up across all CPRP disciplines. - Coordinates admission criteria, intake workflows, and individualized plans of care. - Adjusts care plans based on Veteran response and collaborates with specialists on complex cases. - Oversees discharge planning, transitions of care, and completion of post-discharge functional assessments. - Maintains high-quality, timely documentation in the EMR consistent with regulatory standards. Interdisciplinary Team Facilitation - Delegates tasks and consults appropriately to ensure efficient, high-quality care. - Conducts staff meetings with clinical and administrative partners to address operational challenges and optimize care pathways. - Resolves interpersonal or professional conflicts; escalates issues when needed. - Supports equipment and supply readiness by coordinating with logistics and AO staff. Data, Performance Measures & Compliance - Collaborates with the APMS AO to collect and monitor CPRP performance data, including FSOD. - Maintains logs, dashboards, and SharePoint resources to support transparency and real-time oversight. - Tracks key indicators such as throughput, wait times, completion rates, and functional outcomes. - Prepares reports for leadership, quality councils, and accreditation readiness, and supports action planning and improvement cycles. Administration & Stakeholder Engagement - Screens and identifies Veterans appropriate for CPRP and coordinates prescreening and referrals. - Serves as a primary CPRP point of contact within the facility, VISN, and other VA sites. - Participates in APMS and VANTHCS improvement initiatives; evaluates program effectiveness using data analysis. - Ensures timely documentation of all service contacts in accordance with regulatory requirements. Education & Staff Development - Assesses learning needs and contributes to staff development through mentorship, in-services, and orientation. - Maintains up-to-date knowledge in chronic pain rehabilitation and evidence-based practices through continuing education. - Meets mandatory training requirements and models best practices for evaluation and exercise prescription. Research & Evidence-Based Practice - Supports and participates in research activities related to pain rehabilitation. - Promotes evidence-based assessment, outcome measurement, and exercise prescription across the interdisciplinary team. VA Careers - Physical Therapy: https://youtube.com/embed/Gi2hoFqIoqY Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:00am - 3:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #:00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Qualifications

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. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. Education and experience: The individual must meet at least one of the requirements below: (1) Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy AND five (5) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist. (2) Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist. (3) Doctorate degree in physical therapy. NOTE: Individuals must be a graduate of a Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) accredited college or university. 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. Foreign Graduates: Graduates of foreign physical therapy programs meet the requirements in subparagraph 3b if they have a full unrestricted and current license to practice physical therapy in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Licensure: Individuals hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice physical therapy in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. English Language Proficiency: Individuals appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA must be proficient in written and spoken English. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: GS- 13 Physical Therapist (Clinical Specialist) (Above Full Performance Level) Experience: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level and one of the following: 1. Evidence of a minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice directly in the specialty area. This time must be between the past two and five years; OR 2. Board Certification in the specialty area recognized by the ABPTS; OR 3. Completion of a fellowship program; OR 4. An additional advanced degree in a related field. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs (listed below) Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities: Advanced knowledge and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in a specialized treatment area of physical therapy. Ability to serve as a consultant and subject matter expert for health care providers regarding the delivery of care within a specialized content area of physical therapy. Ability to teach and mentor medical center staff in a specialized content area of physical 10 therapy. Ability to guide the work of a multi-disciplinary team in a specialized content area of physical therapy. Advanced knowledge and expert skill to perform and interpret specialized procedures and tests in evaluating the treatment outcomes in the assigned specialty content area. Preferred Experience: 3+ years of experience in performing comprehensive functional assessments and developing physical therapy treatment plans for Veterans with chronic pain, particularly neck and low back pain. 3+ years of experience in scheduling, case coordination, and managing multidisciplinary chronic pain care, including coordination with vendors and logistics for physical therapy¿related items. 1+ years of experience in leading or coordinating a chronic pain rehabilitation program, including patient education, program administration, and ensuring the program meets CARF or equivalent accreditation standards. 2+ years of experience in providing virtual or telehealth physical therapy services for Veterans with chronic pain. 1+ years of experience with Whole Health physical therapy related modalities such as acupuncture and other complementary and integrative approaches. Assignment. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and variety. Clinical Specialists spend at least 25% or greater of their time working with specialized population(s) within their department. Physical therapists at this level perform assignments in specialty areas such as geriatrics, neurology, cardiopulmonary, orthopedics, spinal cord injury, amputee, wound care, chronic pain, electromyography, women's health or pelvic health, polytrauma, brain injury, lymphedema, vestibular, assistive technology, seating and mobility. The individual is assigned responsibility for serving as the subject matter expert in the content specialty area and as a consultant to physical therapy and other medical center staff in evaluating and treating patients in the specialty area. Clinical Specialists have advanced knowledge and demonstrate expert clinical practice skills in providing assessment and treatment interventions across the continuum of care. He/she utilizes advanced knowledge and expertise to modify treatment plans and to identify therapeutic activity interventions based on the changing needs, goals and performance of patients. Clinical Specialists have advanced training in specialized technology related to their area of practice. He/she establishes and maintains contact with other health care providers involved in patient care via written, telephone, and personal communication on a regular basis. He/she exercises expert professional judgment to establish appropriate discharge planning recommendations to ensure safe discharge from inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation programs. If the medical center has a PT residency program, the clinical specialist may be on faculty for the program. Reference can be found at the VA Qualification Repository, VA Qualifications Standards - Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) GS-0633, Physical Therapist VA Qualification Standard dated February 7, 2018. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements (continued from Qualifications Section): The incumbent should have the ability to perform physical activities such as sitting, typing, standing, walking (2-3 hours), bending, kneeling, reaching down to floor and up overhead, manual dexterity and coordinated use of all limbs and all digits, moderate to heavy lifting/carrying (45-60lbs.) and ability to be on feet most of the day (4-6hrs.) Patient Safety Competency Statement:The incumbent will be responsible for promoting a culture of safety and will fully cooperate in efforts to improve patient safety and eradicate potential events including the reporting of events resulting in actual or potential injury to a patient. Incumbent must demonstrate knowledge of the reporting procedures involving safety issues relating to patients.

Requirements

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. 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 identification 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). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial 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 trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Failure to provide transcript may result in non-referral of your application if your education cannot be verified. Must meet at least one of the requirements below: (1) Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy AND five (5) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist. (2) Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist. (3) Doctorate degree in physical therapy. NOTE: Individuals must be a graduate of a Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) accredited college or university. 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. Verification of accredited programs may be obtained from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) at www.apta.org. Note: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

How to apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 03/15/2027 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13062073. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.