Surveillance Reporting Consultant

Texas Health & Human Services Commission • Austin, TX

6d • $4,020 - $5,200 • Hybrid

About The Position

Under the supervision of the epidemiology and surveillance manager with moderate latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment, performs a variety of complex consultative services and technical assistance related to ongoing review of data entered in the National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS) by funded tuberculosis (TB) programs. Provide technical assistance and training to TB case registrars in designated regional and local jurisdictions, including the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and binational TB programs in jurisdictions bordering Mexico to ensure accurate, complete and timely reporting of active TB cases, presumptive TB cases, contacts to TB cases and individuals in Texas with latent TB infection. Perform quality assurance reviews and data analysis of large datasets of TB surveillance case and latent TB infection reports, laboratory reports, and contact evaluation reports entered in NEDSS. This position will aid in the development of short-term, mid-term and long-term goals and objectives, and the development of standards for achieving strategic operational goals.

Requirements

• Current and valid Texas driver's license
• Knowledge of local, state, and federal laws related to TB reporting and TB control
• Knowledge of disease surveillance processes and procedures
• Knowledge of database software applications and spreadsheet software applications
• Skill in identifying measures or indicators of program performance and in the use of a computer and applicable software.
• Skill in organizing and interpreting data, preparing reports, delivering public health information in presentations
• Skill in effective communication both orally and in writing
• Ability to gather, assemble, correlate, and analyze facts; to devise solutions to problems; to prepare reports; to develop, evaluate, and interpret policies and procedures; to communicate effectively; and to provide guidance to others.
• A Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in epidemiology, public health or closely related field.

Nice To Haves

• Must be willing to travel at least 15% of the time.
• Must be willing to work outside the normal work schedule if needed.

Responsibilities

• Monitors, reviews, and evaluates compliance with HD and TB program policies and procedures, statutes, and rules for reportable TB and HD conditions in Texas.
• Verifies whether TB data entered in NEDSS meets surveillance criteria from CDC and TB Program Manual for suspected and confirmed TB cases, evaluated contacts and people with latent TB infection through data analysis, data follow-up and by providing guidance to local TB programs to reenter data; Conducts regular and routine assessments of TB surveillance data for quality assurance.
• Research multiple data sources for possible missed or unreported cases such as CDC genotyping data, death certificate data, and HIV databases when reporting information is incomplete, purging files to eliminate duplication of data.
• Serves as a liaison to staff and funded TB programs to explain and provide technical assistance on TB surveillance requirements.
• Provides consultative services, technical assistance, and program information to regional and local TB registry sites in accordance with state and national goals to ensure the accuracy, precision, completeness, timeliness and fidelity of data collected during tuberculosis investigations and data entered the electronic TB surveillance system, NEDSS.
• Provides training for new TB program staff and new TB case registries.
• Assists in collecting, organizing, analyzing, and preparing materials in response to public health information requests.
• Provides data entry support for short-staffed tuberculosis case registry sites.
• Analyzes TB surveillance practices and identify gaps.
• Prepares reports of findings and recommendations for procedural or policy changes.
• May supports the TB epidemiology team by researching and resolving aberrant data findings and records.
• Evaluates the effectiveness of TB surveillance training and education programs.
• Performs desk-top reviews to assess surveillance performance of local TB case registries.
• Prepares and reviews training materials used in public health training courses.
• Identifies and addresses training needs, and aids in the evaluation of the effectiveness of program systems to improve accuracy, precision, completeness, fidelity, and efficacy of tuberculosis reporting.
• Assists in the establishment of surveillance procedures and implementation.
• Contributes to revisions of the TB Work Plan, standard operational manuals, and TB policy and procedure manuals.
• Other duties as assigned. Participates and/or serves 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.

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