Publ Hlth and Prevent Spcl I - San Antonio, United States - Texas Department of Aging & Disability Services

Description

Job Description:

Under the direct supervision of the DSHS-Public Health Region 8 Communicable Disease Manager, performs routine public health work. Provides basic case management services, home assessments, and linkage to services to tuberculosis patients and their families. Identifies specialized public health and health and human services for patients in the home and community.

Provides individualized care according to policies, procedures, program standards, physician orders, and SDOs, including performing independent home visits to provide and administer TB medications.

Provides basic patient/family education to increase knowledge of disease management and prevention. Performs public health work related to programmatic functions, surveillance and disease investigation, contact investigation, and directly observed therapy. Works under moderate supervision, with limited latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. Works evenings, holidays, and weekends as requested.

Must be able to independently drive and travel throughout the State of Texas and out-of-state to complete essential job functions.

Essential Job Functions:

35% TB Case Management:
Provide basic case management services to tuberculosis patients and their families. Completes home visits to assess the home environment and individual needs.

Assists patients and families with resolving identified needs, linking, and helping patients apply to community resources, including public assistance programs, health insurance programs, public health programs, health and human services programs, and family support.

Advocate for patients and coordinate appointments and services. Documents patient and family identified needs. Document, enter, and track each patient encounter and field visit in internal and external tracking systems. Collaborate with DSHS programs, HHSC, private and non-profit community organizations, and health care providers to identify partnership opportunities. Refer patients, schedule patient medical and non-medical appointments, and facilitate connections to healthcare providers and community organizations. Provides follow-up reminders and ensures patients attend medical and non-medical appointments. Provides transportation to patients.

Serves as a support when patients attend appointments and request assistance in speaking to providers about social or medical needs.

Participates in case reviews and provides feedback to clinical staff. Develops repository of organizations by county and service type. Seeks resources for patients when in isolation.

Provides clinical support and independently completes the following:
specimen collection, specimen packaging, specimen shipping, specimen transportation to drop-off locations, and phlebotomy.

Must be able to independently drive and travel throughout the State of Texas and out-of-state to complete essential job functions.

30% Programmatic support:

Provide support in completing objectives in the Communicable Disease Program Strategic Plan and provide support in completing the TB program Annual Report and updating the TB Program Manual.

Completes activities as outlined in the Texas TB Work Plan.

Ensures compliance with DSHS TB Work Plan, maintains/updates program manuals, and ensures completion of and ongoing tracking of information necessary for completing the TB Annual Progress Report.

Attends program meetings and meets with program staff to understand current processes and updates the regional TB Program Manual as outlined in the Texas TB Work Plan.

Develops and implements processes and tracking mechanisms to ensure adherence to state and program standards.

Collaborates with clinical and surveillance staff to complete QA reviews of patient records and program processes throughout PHR 8, assuring adherence to SDOs, time frames, and treatment protocols to determine compliance with surveillance/nursing care policies and procedures.

Assists in compiling documents required to perform chart audits. Evaluate medical chart data for compliance requirements.

Participate in QA reviews conducted by the Central Office and as requested, participate in QA reviews of local health departments or other regions.

Provides weekly updates on progress, projects, and assignments to the supervisor. Responds to requests from the Communicable Disease Manager for data and reports. Stays up to date on required tuberculosis-related continuing education, program requirements, and other region-required training, including NEDSS training. Leads the development of communicable disease program curriculum for use in the education of residents and community stakeholders. Abides by standing delegation orders and program procedures. Provides ongoing support and serves as a backup for programmatic support activities. Provides programmatic support with budget tracking and serves as a backup for processing invoices.

Must be able to independently drive and travel throughout the State of Texas and out-of-state to complete essential job functions.

10% Surveillance:

Provides ongoing support and serves as a backup for surveillance and contact investigation activities of all patients tracked and/or managed by Region 8 program staff.

Processes incoming faxed reports and distributes them to appropriate staff according to program procedures. Creates data tracking systems including but not limited to tracking suspects, cases, contacts, and daily incoming reports.

Receives information/reports regarding TB cases and suspects and ensures data is complete, correct, and entered into the regional and state databases/registries per established deadlines.

Requests additional information from hospitals, clinics, or correctional facilities, as needed by the treating physician or TB nurse consultant. Maintains regional and state electronic databases of TB patients. Processes interstate and intrastate jurisdictional transfers. On a rotating basis, provides support by responding to calls received through the 24-hour regional after-hours hotline.

Must be able to independently drive and travel throughout the State of Texas and out-of-state to complete essential job functions.

10% Directly Observed Therapy:

Provides in-person DOT and/or Video DOT to TB cases/suspects and DOPT to TB contacts or TBI clients as ordered by TB physician.

Reviews adverse reactions with client or parent at every visit. Documents each visit on the DOT checklist.

Meets patient at assigned time and place and documents and notifies TB nurses if the patient does not show or cannot attend DOT.

Assures treatment compliance by providing DOT/DOPT services. Assesses patient environment to reduce risk of transmission and minimize delinquency. Performs DOT/DOPT toxicity checks and documents on appropriate forms. Track DOT mileage. Provide education to the patient on the use of VDOT, obtain VDOT consents, review patient's medication recordings. Abides by standing delegation orders and program procedures.

Must be able to independently drive and travel throughout the State of Texas and out-of-state to complete essential job functions.

10% Contact Identification:

Supports the contact identification process for Region 8 by interviewing patients and supports the provision of TB results to contacts.

Uses approved program forms including but not limited to Contact Investigation Worksheet and TB to carry out contact identification activities.

Provides contact and case management assistance such as support with specimen collection, specimen packaging, specimen shipping, specimen transportation to drop-off locations, and phlebotomy.

Educates contacts on TB infection and disease treatment. Using the levels of risk approach assesses investigation results to determine the need to expand the contact investigation.

Determines the scope of a contact investigation based upon the clinical data of the case or suspected case of TB.

Must be able to independently drive and travel throughout the State of Texas and out-of-state to complete essential job functions.

Must be able to independently drive and travel throughout the State of Texas and out-of-state to complete essential job functions.

5% Other Duties as Assigned:
Participates in regional assignments/duties/ and special initiatives.

Other duties as assigned include but are not limited to actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency's obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation.

Such participation may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location.

Safe operation of either a state-owned vehicle or personal vehicle is required to conduct state business and an acceptable driving record must be maintained in accordance with DSHS Policy 06-, Fleet Operations and Management & Procedures and standards developed by the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Complies with the Department of State Health Services Immunization Policy.

Must be able to independently drive and travel throughout the State of Texas and out-of-state to complete essential job functions.

Knowledge Skills Abilities:
Knowledge of social, economic, and public health issues; of public health laws and regulations and of medical terminology.
Knowledge of medication administration procedures and principles and processes of used in providing appropriate patient care.
Knowledge of Tuberculosis disease process, treatment management, medications, and identifying side effects and adverse reactions.

Skill in the use of a computer and applicable software such as word processing, spreadsheets, database, presentation, and e-mail software.

Skill in medication administration and responding to potential side effects/adverse reactions.
Skill in communicating effectively with others both orally and in writing.
Skill in conducting patient interviews using tact and diplomacy.
Skill in educating patients, suspects, and contacts about tuberculosis transmission, infection vs. disease, and treatment process.
Skill in conducting contact investigations.
Skill in data entry

Ability to interpret public health laws and regulations, to analyze and evaluate public health needs, and to communicate effectively.

Ability to provide patient medical care, prepare and maintain records, communicate effectively, and serve as a lead worker providing direction to others.

Ability to provide TB/clinical education to patients and their families professionally, clearly, and compassionately.
Ability to clearly document services provided and follow appropriate processes in completing required forms.
Ability to comprehend program goals, policies, and procedures.
Ability to prioritize time and manage multiple caseloads.
Ability to maintain confidentiality.
Ability to meet employee immunization requirements
Ability to maintain effective working relationships with the public and medical community using tact and diplomacy.
Ability to work well and effectively in a team environment.
Ability to independently drive and travel throughout the State of Texas and out-of-state to complete essential job functions.
Ability to collect sputum and carry out phlebotomy.
Ability to provide transportation.
Ability to travel.