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City of Austin - JOB DESCRIPTION

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Disease Surveillance Specialist Senior
FLSA: Standard/Exempt EEO Category: (20) Professionals
Class Code: 12931 Salary Grade: JR3
Approved: Last Revised: September 11, 2017

Purpose:
 

Performs highly complex public health work involving conferring with local health agencies, private physicians, individuals, and community action groups on the treatment, control, surveillance or prevention of communicable disease. Works under limited supervision with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.
Duties, Functions and Responsibilities:
  Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.
Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.
Monitor HIV/STD Surveillance policies and procedures for efficiency and analyzes data for planning and coordinating  HIV/STD programs.
1. Lead quality assurance of HIV and STD Surveillance duties.
2. Perform measurements and report QA outcomes to supervision as well as direct staff.
3. Lead on ensuring that the City of Austin HHSD has all of the appropriate security policies and all files for security training are maintained an updated as appropriate.
4. Provide HIV/AIDS Surveillance direction, guidance and training to DSHS and other HARS sites across the state of Texas.
5. Prepare infrastructure and training materials for HIV/AIDS Surveillance to standardize efforts across the state of Texas.
6. Identify and investigate confirmed and suspected HIV/AIDS cases generated by lab reports, hospitals, clinics, death certificates and physicians.
7. Manage all aspects of data systems including: NEDSS, STDMIS, HARS, and other web-based databases.
8. Provides records management by maintaining filing systems and records retention systems in compliance with city and state laws.
9. Writes records management procedures for the program level.
10. Responsible for management of all incoming reportable condition reports, receipt review, distribution and data entry within established timeframes.
11. Oversees and provides training regarding data entry into data systems .
12. Generates STD and HIV Surveillance Program reports.
13. Serves as point of contact to communicate with regional and central DSHS office on data system issues.
14. Collects and assures correct demographics are obtained from labs, providers, other individuals reporting.
15. Acquires and maintains general understanding of various communicable diseases reportable to the state of Texas with the ability to access and/or research further medical information to appropriately determine disease investigation.
16. Provide reporting education to local medical and laboratory providers.
17. May coordinate monitoring of various seasonal diseases, such as influenza during flu season, West Nile Virus during months mosquitoes are most active.
Responsibilities - Supervisor and/or Leadership Exercised:
  • May provide leadership, work assignments, evaluation, training, and guidance to others.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
  Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.
• Knowledge of medical terms, database systems, and quality assurance tools.
• Ability to communicate with the public, private medical professionals, and local, State, and federal public health professional.
Minimum Qualifications:
  • Graduation with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university plus three (3) of experience in investigating sources and/or experience working with communicable diseases.
• One additional year of relevant work experience may substitute for one year (1) of the required education with a maximum substitution of four years.
Licenses and Certifications Required:
  None.

This description is intended to indicate the kinds of tasks and levels of work difficulty required of the position given this title and shall not be construed as declaring what the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position shall be. It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of management to assign, direct and control the work of employees under supervision. The listing of duties and responsibilities shall not be held to exclude other duties not mentioned that are of similar kind or level of difficulty.