The Philadelphia Health Department is looking for a new Hepatitis Investigator to join the HEP program. See the posting details below.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Philadelphia Department of Public Health
POSITION TITLE: Hepatitis Investigator
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree
LOCATION: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) Division of Disease Control (DDC) is responsible for surveillance and control activities for communicable diseases of public health importance in Philadelphia. The core activities are to maintain citywide surveillance for reportable diseases and conditions; conduct epidemiologic investigations to determine communicable disease diagnoses and mode of transmission; implement appropriate activities (e.g., immunization, treatment, isolation) to control disease spread; provide consultation and health education to the medical community and to the public; ensure adequate availability of clinical services for Philadelphia residents for communicable diseases; and develop policies for diagnosis and treatment of communicable diseases as a standard of care citywide.
GENERAL DUTIES
This position is part of the Viral Hepatitis (HEP) Unit within DDC. The HEP investigator (HEPI) will perform public health disease surveillance work concerning the detection and control of viral hepatitis. The work involves interviewing patients and their contacts, either by phone or in the field, working with health care providers, reviewing medical records, and contacting laboratories to collect information and ensure accurate reporting of data. This individual may also be responsible for periodic data cleaning as well as general trend analyses. Work is performed under the technical direction of the HEP Manager.
Employee is responsible for:
- Performing surveillance activities to identify viral hepatitis cases;
- Reviewing and interpreting viral hepatitis test results;
- Making site visits to health care sites and other facilities to investigate viral hepatitis cases;
- Conducting field investigations to collect diagnostic, clinical, social, and demographic data of persons suspected of having or known to have viral hepatitis, including inmates and injection drug users;
- Collecting medical treatment case data from patients, providers, and medical records;
- Drawing blood for viral hepatitis testing;
- Educating patients on the causes, symptoms, effects, and treatment of the disease(s) and motivating individuals to seek medical diagnosis and treatment
- Entering, reviewing, and validating viral hepatitis data in the Department’s Disease Management Data System;
- Preparing surveillance information for inclusion in viral hepatitis registry; collecting and consolidating epidemiologic data on viral hepatitis; and
- May be asked to provide support in other program areas, including Emergency Preparedness activities, as needed to meet the goals of the Division.
MINIMUM TRAINING & EXPERIENCE
- Completion of a bachelor’s degree program at an accredited college or university in a public health, science, or related field
- One year experience in a medical, public health, or related field is preferred.
- Ability to physically perform the duties and work in the environmental conditions required of this position.
- Position duties are frequently performed in the field, at various locations across the city. The candidate must have access to a personal vehicle, or be willing to use public transportation to reach assignment sites, or use other mode of transportation satisfactory to performing required field work.
