Health Program Assistant Medical Examiners Office (TLT/SDA)

Health Program Assistant I (HPAI)

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 HPA 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.

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.

Note: 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.

Commitment To Equity and Social Justice

Named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.

The county government has a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from all communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.

We recognize that structural racism consists of principles and practices that cause and justify an inequitable distribution of rights, opportunities, and experiences across racial groups. Since declaring Racism is a Public Health Crisis in June 2020, King County and Public Health committed to being intentionally anti-racist and accountable to Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.

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Work Schedule

Typical work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, may require other hours in the event of an emergency. This is a non-exempt position and is subject to the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is overtime eligible.

Work Location

The primary work location is based at the King County Medical Examiner's Office, located at 908 Jefferson St, Seattle, WA 98104, 2nd Floor.

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Job Duties

• 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.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Our ideal candidate will demonstrate the following (Minimum):

• 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.

The most competitive applicants will have the following experiences and qualifications (Desired):

• Ability to speak one 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.