Disease Surveillance Investigator (S)

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT

4A09
DISEASE SURVEILLANCE INVESTIGATOR

Specialties
( AIDS ) ( Infectious Diseases ) ( Bilingual )

GENERAL DEFINITION

This is public health disease surveillance and control work at the full performance level. Employees in this class are responsible for investigating and reviewing case information concerning incidences of AIDS and AIDS related syndromes in Philadelphia county or locating individuals with communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, venereal disease, measles, and others, and their contacts, to inform them of the nature of their disease, motivate them to reveal pertinent information and to obtain medical treatment. An employee in the Infectious Diseases specialty also has controlling responsibility for an assigned caseload of persons known or suspected of having a communicable disease. Contact with public and private health care providers, registries, laboratories and the general public to collect information and insure accurate reporting of data is a significant aspect of the work. Working conditions involve some disagreeable aspects. Work is performed under the direction of a surveillance program supervisor.

ALLOCATING FACTORS:
(The following conditions must be met for a position to be approved for this class.)

The employee must perform public health disease surveillance work concerning incidences of AIDS and AIDS-related syndromes; or in the detection and control of communicable diseases.
The employee must perform detailed epidemiologic case investigations.
The position must be located in the Disease Control Division of the Health Department.

TYPICAL EXAMPLES OF WORK (ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY)

AIDS SPECIALTY

Performs surveillance activities to identify AIDS and PGL/WS (Persistent General Lymphadenopathy/Wasting Syndrome) cases; contacts health care providers, registries and laboratories to determine incidence of AIDS and PGL/WS in the general population; implements and maintains contact, reporting, and feedback mechanisms for AIDS and AIDS related syndromes; makes site visits to health care facilities and engages in other required surveillance to track progress of AIDS cases.

Performs detailed epidemiologic case investigations on selected AIDS cases; obtains clearance from physicians to interview patients; interviews patients to determine case history and possible source of infection; determines medical status of families of AIDS patients.

Prepares surveillance information for inclusion in AIDS and PGL/WS central registry records; collects and consolidates epidemiologic data on AIDS and AIDS-related syndromes; prepares reports on AIDS cases for the State Department of Health using standard forms and codes; reviews statistics from the Federal Center for Disease Control for accuracy.

Provide assistance in statistical analysis projects to determine infection trends and high risk populations; collects data on hospital stay durations and care costs for AIDS patients in order to forecast health resource needs for future allocations; prepares home care costs for AIDS and PGL/WS patients.

May present information on surveillance activities in forums, lectures and education programs on AIDS and AIDS related syndromes for health care providers; assists program staff in the development of educational and training materials; provides data for inclusion in grant applications to receive federal and state funding for AIDS surveillance and public health education projects; prepares periodic reports of surveillance activities as required by grants.

Performs related work as required.

INFECTIOUS DISEASES SPECIALTY

Conducts investigations for persons suspected of having or known to have a communicable disease; interviews neighbors and relatives and searches files of public agencies in attempt to locate the individuals; educates the individuals regarding the causes, symptoms, effects, and treatments of the diseases; motivates to seek medical diagnosis and treatment; elicits the names and locations of persons in contact with diseased individuals; conducts follow-up investigations to determine that medical care has been received.
Takes and processes blood and other specimens to detect diseases; may prepare and examine specimens on a darkfield microscope; obtains sputum samples, rectal swabs and fecal specimens.
Contacts private physicians and laboratories to explain the objectives and functions of public health disease control; solicits their cooperation in furnishing the names and addresses of persons found by them to have communicable diseases.
Conducts field investigations to obtain and compile information to define public health problems.
May participate in periodic immunization programs for communicable disease control; uses syringes and jet-injector instruments to inoculate individuals; administers and interprets skin tuberculin tests.
Prepares written reports of time spent on assigned cases, information obtained in the course of investigations, and results of investigations.
Performs related work as required.

BILINGUAL SPECIALTY

Performs the duties above in either specialty with members of a designated non-English language speaking community.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

KNOWLEDGE OF:

U. S. Public Health Service Standards for disease surveillance and infectious disease control.
the methods and techniques of disease control field investigation.
interviewing and motivating principles and techniques as they relate to disease control investigation.
the techniques as they relate to disease control investigation in the Infectious Diseases specialty.
statistical methods and techniques used in descriptive epidemiology.
the applicable medical aspects of AIDS and AIDS related syndromes in the AIDS specialty.
the applicable medical aspects of communicable diseases in the Infectious Diseases specialty.
the methods and techniques involved in administering vaccines and tuberculin skin tests, and in taking and processing specimens for disease in the Infectious Diseases specialty.

SKILL IN:

administering vaccines and tuberculin skin tests in the Infectious Diseases specialty.
eliciting the names and locations of persons in contact with individuals with communicable diseases in the Infectious Diseases specialty.
interviewing and eliciting sensitive information.

ABILITY TO:

compile and analyze data to identify public health problems.
prepare reports and present findings and conclusions in a clear and comprehensive manner both orally and in writing.
employ tact, diplomacy and judgment in dealing with sensitive problems and hostile attitudes.
prepare specimens for examination with a dark field microscope in the Infectious Diseases specialty.
establish and maintain effective relationships with infected individuals, representatives of governmental agencies, physicians and nurses, health care providers, associates and the general public.

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

(The following statement represents the minimum training and experience standards which will be used to admit or reject applicants for tests. Applications submitted by candidates for this class will be reviewed based on training and experience requirements as approved on 8/92).

EDUCATION

All Specialities

Completion of a bachelor's degree program at an accredited college or university.

Bilingual Specialty

Sufficient training and/or experience to be able to understand and speak fluently and clearly in English and a designated non-English language.

AND
SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE:

AIDS Specialty

One year of experience performing surveillance of AIDS and AIDS related syndromes.

Infectious Diseases Specialty

One year of experience in the detection and control of communicable diseases and public health disease surveillance work.

PHYSICAL AND MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS

Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required of a position in this class.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS, AND/OR CERTIFICATES

Possession of a valid proper class motor vehicle operator's license as issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania prior to appointment and during tenure of appointment as a Disease Surveillance Investigator.

PAY RANGE: EP17
Class Established:
CSC - 6/1988 ; Ad Board - 7/1988

Latest Spec. Revision:
CSC - 7/1992 ; Ad Board - 8/1992

RPJ/rpj/sb

END OF JOB CLASS SPECIFICATION - 4A09

4A09DISEASE SURVEILLANCE INVESTIGATOR

4A09
DISEASE SURVEILLANCE INVESTIGATOR