Decedent Affairs Specialist

About the Role

Barnes-Jewish Hospital is seeking an onsite Decedent Affairs Specialist to provide dignified decedent care and compassionate family guidance after a loss. This position acts as liaison for with both internal and external parties and agencies. Prior Mortuary experience is a plus.

Role Purpose

The Decedent Affairs Specialist is the sole process-owner to complete the administrative/legal documents for BJH in the event of a patient death. The specialist acts as liaison for BJH with both internal and external parties and agencies.

Responsibilities

• Acts as hospital liaison for the decedent family, medical examiner, physicians, and funeral homes. BJH's contact with the decedent's family to answer questions related to BJH expiration policy/procedures, the City of St. Louis Medical Examiner's Office on all trauma and emergency room expirations. Reviews the patient's chart to determine if circumstances surrounding the cause of death are reportable to the Medical Examiner's Office and assisting BJH physicians with research reports and questions related to past expired patients that were under their care. Works with funeral homes with questions about the decedent for purposes of completing the death certificate or cremation authorization.
• Processes legal documents of expired adult patients and fetal remains. Responsible for processing the legal details of expirations at BJH, which includes: completion of the Memorandum of Death which summarizes details of the death and disposition of the remains. Generates death certificates for physicians to sign, works with the designated funeral homes for completing the death certificate, and sends the death certificate to the Missouri Health and Senior Service's Department of Vital Records for processing. Must work with Social Services to determine if the decedent falls under unclaimed status and contact appropriate sources to determine if a decedent is a candidate for donation with the Center for Anatomical Science and Education of St. Louis or cremation and complete the appropriate documentation which becomes part of BJH's legal documents.
• Authorizes and processes autopsy requests: inpatients/outpatients and outside hospitals. Works with the decedent's family to complete the Request for Postmortem Examination documents to authorize the Washington University Department of Pathology or outside agency to proceed with autopsy. Makes arrangements for transportation of the remains as needed into and away from the hospital morgue.
• Administers and oversees the generation of cremation letters for unclaimed bodies. Plays a vital role in legally documenting and processing cremation letters for unclaimed bodies.
• Communicates with internal stakeholders through hand-offs with other expirations specialists, Nursing Office and Security. Picks up and reviews the medical record to verify completeness and closes the cases once the expirations processes have been finalized.

Schedule

Tuesday-Saturday, 3p-11:30p.

Minimum Requirements

• Education: High School Diploma or GED
• Experience: 2-5 years
• Supervisor Experience: No Experience

Preferred Requirements

• Education: Associate's Degree
• Prior Mortuary experience is a plus

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and legal services available first day of the month after hire date
• Disability insurance paid for by BJC
• Annual 4% BJC Automatic Retirement Contribution
• 401(k) plan with BJC match
• Tuition Assistance available on first day
• BJC Institute for Learning and Development
• Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Paid Time Off benefit combines vacation, sick days, holidays and personal time
• Adoption assistance