Heath Technician (Hearing Instrument Specialist)

Allied Health Professional

Primary responsibility is for patient care, supporting diagnostic and treatment procedures, patient charting and patient education, which do not require a full professional audiology education or knowledge and skills represented by audiology licensure. Support functions include both direct patient care and administrative duties. Direct patient care duties may include, but not limited to the following:

• Hearing aid troubleshooting and repair;
• Performing visual and auditory checks of hearing aids and hearing assistive technology-including all hearing aid accessories as well as alerting devices (troubleshoots performance);
• Fabricating earmold impressions with proper (non-diagnostic) otoscopy;
• Ordering earmolds based on plan of care through prosthetics or DLC and fitting and modifying earmolds, if necessary;
• Providing basic hearing aid information for patients and caregivers consistent with the audiologist's treatment plan, including but not limited to, realistic expectations, communication strategies, and/or aural rehabilitation;
• Assisting in set up and delivery of face-to-face and telehealth visits by preparing the equipment for patient evaluation and other audiology procedures including, but not limited to daily biologic listening calibration of audiometric equipment and calibration of real-ear equipment;
• Assisting patients with hearing aid connectivity including, but not limited to downloading applications (or apps), pairing devices in the app, Bluetooth pairing, and pairing hearing aid accessories.

The incumbent is responsible for ensuring timely and accurate documentation of all interactions in the medical records and that all encounters are correctly documented using electronic medical record and computerized tracking and ordering functions via ROES. The HIS completes documentation per medical center policy for timeliness for each episode of care and codes procedures as appropriate in the patient record in preparation for co-signature by the audiologist. Administrative duties may include, but not limited to the following:

• Maintaining comprehensive supply and equipment tracking systems to include monitoring stock of RME and consumable items;
• Ensuring proper inventory levels to complete the daily tasks;
• Prioritizing the acquisition of all supplies and equipment regarding date of expiration and may maintain a loaner hearing aid inventory.

The HIS assists patients through triaging phone calls and audiology requests with regards to priority and urgency, following the audiologist's plan of care.

Work Schedule : Monday through Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized for highly qualified applicants

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

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) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.

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 : Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 60800-F (GS-5) / 60801-F (GS-6)

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized