2806-Disease Control Investigator

Job description

CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Title: Disease Control Investigator

Job Code: 2806

INTRODUCTION

Under direction, conducts interviews and field investigations of patients with communicable and other disease diagnoses and individuals named as contacts with such patients; evaluates information concerning individual patients and contacts; makes routine follow-ups in order to progress investigations to successful conclusions; keeps detailed records and files pertaining to contacts and investigations; and performs related duties as required.

Requires responsibility for: carrying out, interpreting, explaining and enforcing existing policies, rules and regulations pertaining to the investigation of communicable and other diseases; making regular contacts with the general public and specific individuals for the purpose of sharing and obtaining specific and specialized information concerning communicable and other diseases; gathering, preparing, and maintaining specialized information of a highly confidential nature; preparing related reports. Nature of work requires sustained physical effort involving continuous light work, potentially including considerable walking with frequent exposure to health, accident and injury hazards and disagreeable elements.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

The 2806 Disease Control Investigator is distinguished from the next higher class, 2808 Senior Disease Control Investigator, in that the latter supervises and trains a staff of disease control investigators, coordinates their investigative activities, and supervises the maintenance of important disease control records and files pertaining to investigations, and data received from Federal and State agencies and other City agencies.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

None.

MAJOR, IMPORTANT, AND ESSENTIAL DUTIES

According to Civil Service Commission Rule 109, the duties specified below are representative of the range of duties assigned to this job code/class and are not intended to be an inclusive list.

1. Arranges personal interviews with selected communicable and other disease patients; endeavors to obtain their confidence and cooperation; attempts to ascertain the identity of all contacts; gives communicable and other disease education including information regarding repeated infections and means to avoid subsequent infections and transmission to others; attempts to ascertain names of sex partners for certain diseases and evaluates information provided by the patient to determine source and spread patterns.

2. Conducts field and telephone investigations of individuals diagnosed with communicable and other diseases and their contacts; receives reports for investigation from several reporting agencies and sources and investigates such reports; collects and reviews pertinent health information from medical providers, clinics, hospitals and the patient to formulate appropriate recommendations for follow up based on existing local, state and federal protocols.

3. Makes inquiries among many persons, in homes, hotels, bars, cafeterias, taverns, theatres, amusement parks, public parks, bus terminals, railroad stations, airline offices, ships, piers, amusement areas, parking lots, stores, medical facilities, various places of employment, and other locations where cases and contacts are reported to frequent, in order to secure information relative to the identification and location of contacts; devises methods of obtaining information in the field and various sources; applies lay psychological techniques in tactfully handling situations.

4. Applies knowledge of applicable state and local laws, public health regulations and various provisions of the state health and safety code governing communicable and other diseases; applies working knowledge of' medical terms and technology to enable discussion and explanation of communicable and other diseases with professional and lay people.

5. Admits patients and contacts to clinics and initiates their medical record; gives communicable and other disease information; answers inquiries about clinic procedures during time patients may be under observation; instructs them as to proper conduct while awaiting diagnosis; distributes communicable disease pamphlet information; makes new appointments for delinquent cases; may serve isolation orders.

6. Confers with adult probation department for assistance in identifying and locating certain contacts; confers with adult authority parole officers and officials of school districts to locate teen-age contacts or identify and locate adult contacts who may have children in certain schools.

7. Promotes general understanding of the disease control program; appears and discusses program measures before trade and civic groups and other organizations.

8. Maintains various records of individual patients and contacts and reports of investigations for comparative data and clues that may be necessary to complete the investigation; keeps accurate record of disease investigations using designated forms, spreadsheets and databases including the number of visits, interviews conducted and other information pertaining to the case.

IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Requires thorough knowledge of the laws, regulations and programs applicable to general disease control, including communicable, chronic and occupational diseases.

Requires exceptional skill, ability and personality to satisfactorily perform highly specialized field investigative and interviewing work.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

These minimum qualifications establish the education, training, experience, special skills and/or license(s) which are required for employment in the classification. Please note, additional qualifications (i.e., special conditions) may apply to a particular position and will be stated on the exam/job announcement.

Education:

Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.

Experience:

Six months of experience within the last five years conducting interviews or investigations in the field of epidemiology, or as an investigator conducting field investigations dealing with the general public in a specialized public health or sanitation field in connection with disease control programs.

License and Certification:

Substitution:

Additional experience as described above may be substituted for the required degree on a year-for-year basis (up to a maximum of 2 years). Thirty (30) semester units or forty-five (45) quarter units equal one year.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

PROMOTIVE LINES

To: 2808 Senior Control Investigator

ORIGINATION DATE:

AMENDED DATE: 4/3/2015

REASON FOR AMENDMENT To accurately reflect the current tasks, knowledge, skills and abilities defined in the most recent job analysis conducted for this job code.

BUSINESS UNIT(S): COMMN, SFMTA

Standard information

Disaster service work

All City and County of San Francisco employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109). Employment with the City requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

Historic and future compensation