4A10
PAY RANGE: N20
GENERAL DEFINITION
This is supervisory and administrative disease surveillance and control work. The employees in this class are responsible for reporting and maintaining accurate data regarding HIV and HIV related diseases or communicable diseases in Philadelphia county, and assign, review and participate in the work of a unit of investigators engaged in case discovery, disease surveillance and/or disease control activities. Implementation and direction of a system-wide disease surveillance program which includes contact with the general public, private and public health care providers, registries and laboratories, and supervision of an HIV or communicable disease surveillance and control staff are significant aspects of the work. Work is performed under the general direction of an administrative supervisor.
ALLOCATING FACTORS: (The following conditions must be met for a position to be allocated to this class.)
1. Employees must direct a system-wide disease surveillance program.
2. Employees must supervise a staff of investigators engaged in disease surveillance and related activities.
3. The position must be located in the Disease Control Division or the AIDS Activities Coordinating Office (AACO) of the Health Department.
TYPICAL EXAMPLES OF WORK (ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY)
Trains and directs subordinate employees in the performance of case discovery, data collection and case reporting responsibilities; reviews and evaluates subordinates' work to insure compliance with program standards, funding agency priorities and expectations, and departmental policy and procedures; provides direction and consultation on difficult cases.
Prepares directly, and through subordinates, periodic summary and statistical reports for general distribution as well as to support the activities of other programs and departmental staff; provides reports and data to state and federal agencies and others as appropriate; participates in the preparation and implementation of grant proposals for the provision of funding for on-going, as well as specific, surveillance, investigation and control activities.
Establishes and maintains relationships with public and private health care providers, registries and laboratories to ensure comprehensive surveillance and completeness in case reporting.
Performs related work as required.
Plans, assigns, monitors and evaluates discovery, surveillance and related activities of subordinates engaged in contacting health care providers, hospitals, registries, clinics and laboratories for reporting cases, reviewing death certificates and performing detailed epidemiologic investigations on selected cases; participates in the more sensitive HIV diseases discovery and tracking projects; prepares and maintains a training and procedures manual for surveillance field workers.
Reviews and analyzes reports submitted by surveillance field workers, and research data and technical information in order to make recommendations for improvements in program operations; evaluates program efficiency and recommends methods for enhancement; consults with internal and external epidemiologists, researchers, and other investigators in the design and implementation of special projects and studies; makes special assignments to field workers for the purpose of statistical analysis.
Maintains accurate case registry files and reviews case registry lists provided by state and federal agencies to assure consistency and confidentiality; works in conjunction with information management staff to maintain and update computer files and produce reports on a regular and as needed basis.
Serves as liaison to other governmental health reporting agencies, private and public health care providers, and other facilities and programs within the standard metropolitan statistical area; participates in medical forums, lectures and public education programs on AIDS and AIDS-related syndromes and the surveillance program.
Assigns, monitors, and evaluates subordinates engaged in surveillance activities for communicable diseases such; assigns referrals of individuals to a group of investigators and engaged in the detection and control of communicable diseases.
Reviews caseload progress with subordinate staff; examines daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly caseload progress reports prepared by subordinate investigators.
Makes field investigations to determine the effectiveness and progress of the unit staff in locating and interviewing diseased individuals; takes action, where indicated, to insure uniformity in application of epidemiological techniques.
Conducts or participates in epidemiological investigations involving the more complex cases, especially those requiring special motivating techniques; searches files of public agencies to locate persons; educates patients regarding their disease; motivates them to reveal epidemiological information and to obtain medical aid.
Obtains, compiles and analyzes information to define public health problems, and to evaluate the effectiveness of public health disease control activities.
May participate in periodic immunization programs or audits for communicable disease control.
Maintains a variety of records and reports.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
KNOWLEDGE OF:
• the U.S. Public Health Service Standards for disease surveillance and infectious disease control
• general public health practices and procedures
• the techniques of infectious disease control field investigations
• interviewing and motivating principles and techniques as they relate to disease control investigation
• the applicable medical aspects and indicators of HIV diseases for the HIV diseases assignment
• the applicable medical aspects of communicable diseases for the Infectious Disease assignment
• the methods and techniques involved in administering vaccines and tuberculin skin tests, and in taking and processing specimens for disease control activities for the Infectious Disease assignment
• investigative methods and techniques as they relate to disease control for the Infectious Disease assignment
• the statistical methods and techniques and computer applications used in descriptive epidemiology
• in-service training principles, methods and techniques
• laws, standards, and policies pertaining to confidentiality and privacy of health and surveillance information
SKILL IN:
• interviewing and eliciting sensitive personal and epidemiological information
• administering vaccines and tuberculin skin tests in the Infectious Diseases assignment
ABILITY TO:
• train, direct, and supervise employees engaged in disease surveillance work
• prepare reports and present findings and conclusions in a clear and comprehensive manner, both orally and in writing
• compile and analyze data to define public health problems, and to evaluate control activities
• analyze and resolve complex problems encountered by subordinate surveillance personnel
• plan, assign, and review the work of a staff of field investigators
• perform field work in a variety of locations (e.g., patient homes, schools, or medical care sites)
• comply with all laws, standards, and policies pertaining to confidentiality and privacy of health and surveillance information
• employ tact, diplomacy and judgment in dealing with sensitive problems and hostile attitudes
• establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, representatives of registries, laboratories and governmental agencies, physicians and nurses, health care providers, community groups, 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 8/15.)
EDUCATION:
Completion of a Bachelor's degree program from an accredited college or university with major coursework in Public Health, Disease Surveillance, Health Education, Life Sciences, Epidemiology or a closely related field.
AND
GENERAL EXPERIENCE:
Two years of experience performing public health disease surveillance and control work or community health education or outreach work, which has included one year at the entry level monitoring and controlling infectious diseases or HIV diseases and related syndromes.
AND
SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE:
Two years of experience performing full performance level public health disease surveillance work, monitoring and controlling infectious diseases or HIV diseases and related syndromes.
OR
Any equivalent combination of education and experience determined to be acceptable by the Office of Human Resources which has included any Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university and the specific experience.
NOTE: Completion of a Masters Degree from an from an accredited college or university with major coursework in Public Health, Disease Surveillance, Health Education, Life Sciences, Epidemiology or a closely related field satisfies one year of the general experience requirement.
NOTE: Selective Factor Certification may be utilized, as needed, to fill specific positions. In accordance with Civil Service Regulation 11.032 - Selective Factor Certification - the appointing authority may request certification of eligible candidates experience in the area of assignment to fill specific positions in this class. Certification to fill such positions will be made from the two highest-ranking eligible candidates on the eligible list who possess the specified experience.
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 Program Supervisor.
Class Established: CSC - 6/88, Ad. Board - 7/88
Spec. Revision: CSC - 5/93, Ad. Board - 7/93
Latest Spec. Revision:
CSC - 8/15, Ad. Board - 8/15
CW