LTBI Coordinator & Congregate Settings Liaison

Texas Health & Human Services Commission • Tyler, TX

3d • $3,410 - $5,094 • Onsite

About The Position

Under the general supervision of the Tuberculosis (TB) Program Manager and the day-to-day clinical consultation of a TB Nurse Consultant, performs complex public health tasks serving as the regional LTBI Coordinator & Congregate Settings Liaison. This position functions as the central administrative and surveillance traffic controller for Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI) data management, incoming immigration health referrals, and institutional exposure coordination across the public health region.
The position serves as the primary regional operator and gatekeeper for the Electronic Disease Notification (EDN), THISIS, and NEDSS (National Electronic Disease Surveillance System) databases, actively collecting, entering, monitoring, managing, tracking, and evaluating all regional LTBI and Contact Investigation (CI) records. Autonomously reviews and disseminates critical field assignments to applicable regional clinics and local health departments.
Serves as the regional quality assurance monitor for preventative treatment data, coordinates supply pipelines and reporting for congregate settings, manages specialized vendor contracts, and delivers community public health education. Works under general supervision using critical thinking skills and independent judgment.

Requirements

• Knowledge and understanding of current social, economic, and public health issues; knowledge of public health law, reporting regulations, and HIPAA confidentiality guidelines; knowledge of medical terminology, Tuberculosis epidemiology, and airborne transmission dynamics; knowledge of basic principles and practices of clinical quality assurance and electronic record retention schedules; knowledge of basic contract administration and supply procurement workflows.
• Skill in performing data entry correctly and efficiently using computers, databases, and specialized health registries (THISIS, NEDSS, EDN); advanced skill in utilizing Microsoft Office products, specifically Excel, Word, and PowerPoint for tracking, filtering, and organizing statistical summaries or presentations; skill in data analysis and quality assurance monitoring to detect missing clinical files; skill in training/educating small groups or individuals.
• Ability to understand, interpret, and apply public health laws, program policies, and regulations; ability to work independently exercising sound judgment and critical thinking skills; ability to organize and prioritize high-volume workloads while managing multiple competing priorities; ability to compose clear, concise sentences reflecting epidemiological findings; ability to protect confidential individual and medical information. Ability to coordinate and work with staff who work in congregate settings.
• Associates degree from an accredited university in public health, social services, or a related field; OR a minimum of two (2) years or more of full-time work experience in a health, medical support, or public health field in lieu of a degree on a year-for-year basis.
• Verifiable experience entering, managing, or auditing data within an electronic database or tracking registry.
• Documented experience utilizing Microsoft Office computer applications, with an emphasis on word processing and spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel).

Responsibilities

• Manages, monitors, tracks, and evaluates tuberculosis surveillance and reporting data for Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI) patients, ensuring case management tasks are completed within appropriate timeframes and program objectives.
• Tracks patient compliance and testing, ensuring seamless follow-through with physician orders for patients with LTBI, and verifies that appropriate follow-up, follow-through, and intervention are provided.
• Serves as a primary regional operator for the federal Electronic Disease Notification (EDN) database; monitors, reviews, clears, and processes incoming international immigration and refugee health referrals.
• Analyzes incoming surveillance data to rapidly and accurately disseminate actionable field case assignments to applicable regional clinics, field office staff, and local health departments.
• Manages a highly structured Excel-based TB Patient Order Tickler Tracking system to actively monitor charts submitted to providers, flagging delays, and ensuring seamless follow-through on pending physician orders.
• Reviews related epidemiological data according to performance measures standards, and extracts information from related statistical population reports.
• Provides supportive assistance, education, and technical resource guidance regarding follow-up, monitoring, and treatment of persons with LTBI per CDC recommendations to field staff, local health departments, long-term care facilities (nursing homes, intermediate care facilities), and private healthcare providers.
• Assists with epidemiological and investigative contacts and intervention with non-compliant patients according to deadlines set by the DSHS TB program.
• Collects and solicits comprehensive data on all tasks/activities regarding LTBI patients.
• Serves as the regional Quality Assurance (QA) monitor for all reporting and case management data related to the preventative treatment of Tuberculosis.
• Maintains the LTBI database (NEDSS / THISIS) and performs data entry correctly and efficiently using computers and pertinent software.
• Creates reports flagging the solicitation of missing information from field clinics, local health departments, and other healthcare providers to guarantee thorough, concise, complete, and accurate reporting.
• Establishes and maintains a secure medical records system in strict accordance with state record retention rules and HIPAA confidentiality guidelines.
• Assists the TB Program Nurse Manager to assure that overarching regional program goals are met; assists with monthly cohort reviews and other NEDSS data entry overflows as needed.
• Serves as the primary programmatic coordinator for specialized tuberculosis prevention, surveillance, and tracking activities within regional congregate settings (including schools, homeless shelters, and detention facilities).
• Manages, tracks, and distributes specialized congregate settings screening supplies, diagnostic assets, and operational inventory needs dedicated to large-scale institutional exposure responses.
• Establishes and preserves robust, professional working relationships with laboratories, healthcare agencies, correctional facilities, and local administrators to facilitate reporting, tracking, and diagnosis speeds.
• Prepares summary reports for use in evaluating program activities and provides support for diagnostic Chest X-ray requests from field office staff.
• Assists the TB Program Manager with the operational maintenance, review, and onboarding recruitment of Directly Observed Therapy (DOT/DOPT) provider contracts and external chest X-ray provider/vendor agreements.
• Coordinates billing requests, addresses invoicing issues relating to patient files, and facilitates payments to contracted providers for services rendered.
• Serves as an administrative and social services information referral resource to local health agencies, field office staff, and private physicians regarding the treatment, control, and prevention of tuberculosis.
• Serves as a specialized community-based public health educator and resource for the medical and broader community.
• Organizes, coordinates, and conducts TB training initiatives specific to defined regional needs, conferences, and community presentations regarding Tuberculosis current trends, treatments, research, and prevention.
• May travel to various sites within the public health region to deliver professional training or provide technical assistance across organizational lines.
• Performs related work as assigned by the supervisor to support regional public health goals.
• Actively participates and/or serves in a supporting role in meeting the agency’s obligations for disaster response and/or recovery, emergency management, or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation.

Benefits

• insurance coverage and other benefits available through the State of Texas Group Benefits Plan administered by the Employee Retirement System of Texas (ERS)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree