This position is aligned under Medical Administration Service (MAS), the largest administrative department in the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System (NF/SGVHS).

Duties

This position is stationed at Lake City VAMC. The incumbent serves as the liaison between the medical facility and the legal next-of-kin for interviewing, consulting, advising and assisting on benefits. Provides verbal and written information (e.g. Details brochure) to families regarding funeral, burial and other VA related benefits. Incumbent serves as a subject matter expert for the medical center on patient issues/rights pertaining to natural deaths, homicides, and suicides. Contacts, by telephone, the legal next-of-kin or authorized representative to obtain permission for surgical procedures when consent cannot be obtained from the patient. Serves as the liaison between the legal next-of-kin and the appropriate clinician in order to obtain informed consent for official VA records. Transcribes telephonic consents obtained from a Veteran's legal next-of-kin in order for clinical staff to be able to perform invasive procedures. Documents information in patient's medical record. Ensures precise accuracy of transcribed conversations prior to entry into the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS). Makes numerous telephone calls each day to coordinate funeral arrangements as requested by the legal next-of-kin or authorized representative. Ensures that transportation of the deceased is properly arranged from the VAMC hospital morgue to the designated funeral home or cremation organization. Ensures that transportation of the deceased is properly arranged when transportation to another site for autopsy is necessary. Is physically present in the morgue in order to obtain necessary signature of funeral home director or designee, verifies identity and releases/dispositions a deceased Veteran in accordance with VA regulations. As necessary, assists funeral homes in obtaining payment for services rendered. Determines when a contract burial is necessary (unclaimed remains) and contacts supervisor/manager for concurrence/authorization. Facilitates contract funeral and burial arrangements for all deaths occurring at the medical center when no legal next-of-kin can be located. Requests procurement of contract for burial through Acquisition & Material Management Service when the remains of the deceased are unclaimed. Maintains guidelines for the inspection of services and merchandise furnished for contract burials. Facilitates this by physically visiting the funeral home to ensure a body is properly embalmed, the body is appropriately clothed (attire) for burial, the body presents in good appearance and is properly placed in the casket and that the casket construction is sound. Verifies and documents this criteria using VA Form 10-1068a for each contract burial. Performs program support functions for an agency program by preparing forms/correspondence to finalize patient business such as the Florida Death Certificate, forms necessary to transfer personal possessions and monies of deceased patients to their beneficiaries, forms for organ and/or tissue donations (e.g. eye, tissue, bone, veins, etc.). Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Not Eligible Virtual: This is NOT a virtual position. Incumbent MUST report to the Lake City VA Medical Center Position Description/PD#: Details Clerk/PD047290

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/11/2023. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Experience communicating with customers and facility staff in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Experience scheduling appointments in a computer system. Experience serving as a liaison between customers and facility staff. Experience with Word, Microsoft Office, Excel and Access. Experience handling conflict and customer complaints. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: CommunicationsComputer SkillsCustomer Service Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: position is mostly sedentary For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level. You do not need to submit transcripts.

Contacts

• Address Malcom Randall Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 1601 Southwest Archer Road Gainesville, FL 32608 US
• Name: Lauren Bianchi
• Phone: 216-447-8010 X49802
• Email: [email protected]