Public Health Technician - Grant Funded

Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation•Tuba City, AZ

18h

About The Position

Under the direction of the Public Health Director, Program Manager, and Lead Public Health Technician, the Public Health Technician provides public health interventions, including pandemic and epidemic preparedness; infectious disease case investigation and contact tracing; infectious disease screening; vaccination outreach; community health work and resource connection; health education and coaching related to primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention; population health measurement; and public health data support. The role conducts case investigation and contact tracing, delivers evidence-based interventions, education, and public health communication, and supports community members in reaching optimal health without discrimination. The technician uses patient-tracking and data-collection software and the electronic health record (EHR) to provide and document services. This is a grant-funded position. The position involves collaboration with clinical, public health, and support staff; connection of community members to resources; disease surveillance and data collection; vaccination and screening support; and adherence to confidentiality, infection-prevention, safety, and quality standards. Work is mostly sedentary, but may include extended standing and walking, outdoor work in various weather conditions, and frequent use of personal protective equipment. The role may involve stressful situations, close or crowded areas, and shift-work adaptability.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Six months of customer service or contact-tracing experience.
Six months of public health or community outreach experience.
Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from the American Heart Association, or ability to obtain it within six months of hire.
Satisfactory performance in prior and current employment, supported by positive employment references addressing the specified performance areas.
Ability to speak, read, and write; the posting does not specify the language.
Ability to maintain positive working relationships and demonstrate high ethical standards, a professional and positive attitude, and a strong work ethic toward patients and colleagues.
Excellent interpersonal, communication, customer service, and telephone etiquette skills.
Ability to interact professionally during crises and show empathy to distressed people.
Ability to multitask efficiently and effectively and develop well-written reports and notes.
Computer and computer-software proficiency.
Reliability and dependability, including reporting to work as scheduled without excessive absences.
Skill and comfort in conducting presentations and public speaking.
Successful completion of job interviews, background and reference checks, fingerprint clearance, physical examinations, and other required screenings.
Submission of required employment documents and information without false, misleading, or incomplete information.
Ability to meet the physical and mental demands of the role, including prolonged sitting, talking, and hearing; periods of standing and walking; occasional lifting, pushing, and pulling up to 25 pounds; effective communication and decision-making under stress; and work in close or crowded areas.

Responsibilities

Follow infectious disease prevention guidelines and measures established by the CDC, Navajo Nation Health Command and Operation Center, and TCRHCC EPI Response, and provide patients with current evidence-based information.
Interview people with infectious diseases, including STIs, to identify possible contacts or partners during the infectious period, communicating face-to-face, by phone, text, or email in accordance with TCRHCC HIPAA policy.
Coordinate with public health technicians, clinical staff, and support staff to complete timely referrals and community health worker interventions.
Assess patients’ needs, status, and risk; submit welfare-check assessments; and coordinate patient needs with community connectors, nurse practitioners or physician assistants, and public health nursing.
Use updated scripts as needed for STI and other infectious disease responses.
Connect community members to resources such as food, water, housing, electricity, health care, public health interventions, and social services; help individuals and families navigate systems and obtain culturally appropriate, science-based information.
Deliver evidence-based and trauma-informed public health interventions for mental and physical health promotion, including health coaching and programs such as Family Spirit, supporting primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention.
Provide public health communication and messaging on prevention topics.
Deliver vaccination efforts and promote public health services by phone, telehealth technology, or face-to-face in the community.
Provide front-line epidemic response and disease-surveillance support, collaborating with a data analyst and epidemiologist on data input and collection.
Assist with planning and implementing community health assessment surveys across the Tuba City service area, collecting data on community health, social determinants of health, and other assessment topics.
Maintain patient confidentiality, comply with HIPAA and TCRHCC policies and procedures, and conduct case and contact interviews without violating confidentiality.
Enter accurate and timely information into electronic health records and complete revenue-generation tasks related to patient services.
Communicate clearly by telephone and face-to-face, providing excellent customer service and accurate, timely, up-to-date information about public health needs.
Use the EHR and available data systems to track public health data; contact patients to obtain missing data and promote public health services.
Assist screeners and greeters at entry points with screening patients and visitors entering the TCRHCC campus.
Wear appropriate PPE while on duty, including applicable masks, gloves, gowns, respirators, and eye or face protection.
Don and doff PPE safely and dispose of used PPE appropriately, following current CDC updates.
Complete task training for routine cleaning and decontamination of surfaces contaminated by communicable disease.
Follow established compliance, safety, and quality-assurance standards, and perform other duties as assigned.