Health Program Assistant – Medical Examiner’s Office (TLT/SDA)

King County•Ninth & Jefferson Building at Harborview Campus - 908 Jefferson Street Seattle 98104, WA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Public Health King County Medical Examiner's Office is looking for a term-limited temporary (TLT) or Special Duty (SDA) Health Program Assistant I (HPAI) to join their team. The responsibilities of the Health Program Assistant position in the Medical Examiner's Office include performing clerical duties that are specialized and/or technical in nature. The work involves independent judgment of complex and/or sensitive information. Duties include answering and triaging multiple phone lines in a sensitive environment, filing, using complex case management software, researching specialized or technical information, and providing program-specific information to internal and external customers. The main duty of this position will be to process disposition authorizations, which allow funeral homes to bury or cremate decedents. This position performs duties under the direction of the Medical Examiner's Office Administrator III. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office is responsible for determining the cause and manner of death for deaths that are sudden, unexpected, or unnatural. Staff are hardworking and passionate about their work—because they know that the work has an immediate impact on King County residents. This is a temporary opportunity. Term-Limited Temporary (TLT) positions are "at-will" positions but are eligible for benefits. This TLT is currently anticipated to last 18 months. However, funding sources for this work remain uncertain and dependent upon decisions actively being made at both the federal and local levels. As a result, the end date of this position may be adjusted based on those decisions. The County and the Department continue to work to secure long term funding sources. This vacancy can also be filled as a Special Duty opportunity. For Special Duty Assignment interest, you must be a Career Service, Career Service Exempt or other regular (non-temporary) employee in King County who has completed their initial County probation. You must have supervisor approval prior to taking a Special Duty Assignment. This posting will create a list of qualified candidates that may be considered for selection of additional vacancies of the same position type over the next 6 months.

Requirements

Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with a diverse range of staff, community partners, and the general public.
Handle difficult interpersonal interactions with discretion and diplomacy.
Work both independently and as a member of a team.
Ability to update, and maintain program databases and logs; accurately enter and track data; and generate reports.
Ability to learn new computer programs.
Ability to prepare for meetings to set up technology weekly trainings, including remote participation via Skype, PowerPoint presentations, and a variety of audio visual equipment.
Ability to maintain and update various lists, records, and files using Access, Excel, and other databases assuring data is retrievable and properly archived.
Demonstrated ability in prioritizing work load and adapting to changes in demand.
Ensure sensitive and confidential information is kept private and secure; adhere to department policies and procedures.
Ability to lift up to 25 pounds.
Ability to work for brief periods of time in close proximity to the deceased.
Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
Public Health relies on office automation (Microsoft Office) and web-based enabled tools, therefore candidates must be proficient and comfortable with computer use to perform functions associated with on-going work.
Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing their mandatory trainings on time and obtaining required immunizations.
Regular and reliable attendance, effective communication skills, and development of effective working relationships are requirements of all Public Health positions.
When Public Health responds to an emergency, and in accordance with relevant CBA language and/or KC policy and procedures, we may assign duties outside your regular job description. This may involve responding at any time, including nights and weekends, with possible deployment to locations other than the department.

Nice To Haves

Ability to speak on of the languages most commonly spoken by limited English speakers in King County.
Knowledge of funeral industry or Medical Examiner processes.
Knowledge of programs such as WHALES, VertiQ, or Epic.
Knowledge of medical terminology.
Experience with King County processes.
Prior experience with the deceased.

Responsibilities

Provide customer service electronically or in person to funeral directors, grieving families, and others.
Answer multiple phone lines and route to the right sections of the office.
Monitor shared email accounts to identify and fulfill incoming requests including disposition authorization, report requests, subpoenas, contracts, and other requests.
Review information from funeral directors and medical certifiers, performing data entry on requests generating an official record for review.
Present information about disposition review cases to forensic pathologists and forensic medicolegal death investigators for approval and appropriate follow-up investigations.
Provide official approval to funeral homes prior to death certificate filing.
Scan, copy, file, and mail records containing protected health information.
Utilize specific software to enter test results, close cases, and process internal paperwork.
Enter and correct information in the KCMEO’s database and the Washington Health and Life Event System (WHALES).
Create folder, close cases, create affidavits for correction and other administrative duties.
Review daily requests to ensure appropriate billing and scan all daily disposition requests for proper retention.
Maintain and dispose of records consistent with the King County retention policy.
Review billing statements with funeral homes and assure accounts remain current as services are provided.
Interpret state statutes and King County policies regarding releasing public and confidential Medical Examiner records.
Assist administration team by answering telephones, managing records releases and public records requests.
Provide administrative and logistical support for meetings, weekly conferences, and program staff.
Release property to funeral agencies.
Other duties as assigned by supervisor.