Disease Investigation Technician

Disease Investigation Technician

Our Role: Please come join our team to do meaningful work that has a real impact in our community. We are a team-oriented, family-friendly organization of over 125 dedicated public health professionals. We work hard every day to keep our community safe and healthy. Keeping you and your family - and our county and its many visitors safe is our job. It could be your job too! 
 
The Position: Within agency policies, under the supervision of the Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Supervisor and Program Manager, the Disease Investigation Technician (DIT), in the classification of Health Services Worker, is a public health professional who works as a member of a multidisciplinary team to assist with administrative support, disease investigation, partner notification, service navigation, outreach, and clinical and educational activities in communicable disease control. The incumbent also performs other related duties as required. This position requires excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, and the ability to comfortably and effectively interact with diverse populations. Please note, this is an in-office position; telework is not available due to the nature of the work.

Hours: 40 hours per week – 100% FTE, requires occasional evening and weekend hours.
 
Status: Permanent full-time position in-office.  
 
Benefits: The district offers a comprehensive health benefit plan which includes medical, dental, and life coverages, including several voluntary plan selections through The Standard, Aflac, and Met Life. The district provides medical and dental coverage contributing percentages of the average medical and dental insurance premium costs for full time employees as follows: Employee @ 100%, Employee & Spouse @ 90%, Employee & Child(ren) @ 90%, and Full Family @ 85%. Benefits include generous paid time off, and twelve paid holidays per year. Employees participate in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), a defined benefit retirement plan managed by the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and Social Security. Several deferred compensation retirement savings plans are also offered.  

Note: 2024 Salary ranges are indicated. 2025 Salary ranges have yet to be established.

Essential Functions:

• Assists team with data entry and filing, as well as keeping written policies and protocols up to date.
• Assists Disease Intervention Specialist (DIS) and Public Health Nurses (PHN) in case investigation by researching relevant information and entering that information into appropriate applications is support of case investigation and contact tracing.
• Engages with community partner organizations and businesses to provide prevention and intervention guidance and to obtain information necessary for case surveillance, investigation, and response.
• Makes referrals and linkages to care in areas including medical care, behavioral healthcare, housing, and transportation, as appropriate, to reduce barriers to accessing health services.
• Schedules client appointments and makes referrals to outside agencies as appropriate, which may include providing transportation in an agency fleet vehicle when all other options have been exhausted.
• Assists in surveillance, outreach, and follow-up with clients suspected or confirmed to have a communicable disease and provides appropriate guidance using excellent verbal communication skills which include telephone and in-person interviewing to collect and document details about risk to others and probable mode, method, and location of transmission.
• Engages with cases and contacts to establish positive rapport by using a variety of interviewing techniques.
• Identifies and assesses case and contact needs, including notification to contacts of exposures, providing education and recommendations on testing and treatment with guidance from DIS, nurses, and supervisor.
• Addresses questions and concerns while employing de-escalation skills and the use of motivational interviewing techniques as needed.
• Provides information and input on policy and procedures related to testing and treatment service protocols, both internally and externally, to members of the public.
• Assists with offsite outreach activities and outreach preparation and coordination.
• Inventories and orders medical and laboratory supplies.
• Processes, documents, and ships screening specimens.
• Provides medical screening results in person and over the phone.
• Assists in the resolution of client concerns.
• Participates in all required meetings, training, and conference calls as required.
• Participates in staff and team meetings and committees; prepares reports as requested.
• Prepares reports and maintains program records in the area of assignment.
• Enters data completely and accurately from faxed or written documents into appropriate databases/applications per protocol.
• Stays current on HIPAA and ensures confidentiality of personal health information, maintaining compliance as required by statue.
• Utilizes various HIPAA compliant resources to locate and/or engage with cases and contacts who may be difficult to reach or reluctant to engage in conversation.
• Keeps current with changes and updates from the State Department of Health, the CDC, and local health officials in regard to disease investigation best practices.
• Completes timely and accurate random moments to comply with contractual requirements of Medicaid Administrative Match.
• Accurately completes and submits electronic timecard on a weekly basis as required.
• Demonstrates cultural humility and embeds health equity into all aspects of assigned work and associated interactions.
• Works both independently and within a collaborative team-oriented environment; contributes openly, disagrees respectfully, understands the ideas of others, listens well, and works for consensus.
• Models an organizational culture that promotes the practice of respect for people, openness, trust, safety, transparency, collaborative problem solving, managing with data, in the pursuit of continuous improvement and assurance.
• Responds to public health emergencies as required.
• Establishes and maintains cooperative, effective working relationships with coworkers, other District employees, and the public using principles of good customer service.
• Reports for scheduled work with regular, reliable, and punctual attendance.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Environment & Physical Demands:

• Work is primarily performed indoors in an office environment and/or clinical setting, with occasional travel to attend meetings, conferences, seminars, and to community locations such as shelters, private residences, and encampments when required.
• Requires the ability to communicate with others orally, in writing, face to face and by telephone.
• Requires manual and finger dexterity and hand-eye-arm coordination to write and to operate computers and a variety of general office equipment. Requires mobility to accomplish other desktop work, retrieve files, and to move to various District locations. Requires visual acuity to read computer screens, printed materials, and detailed information. Essential duties may involve occasional kneeling, squatting, crouching, stooping, crawling, standing, bending, climbing (to stack, store or retrieve supplies or various office equipment).
• May occasionally be required to work a varying schedule which may include evenings and weekends.
• Requires the ability to alternatively sit and stand for sustained periods of time to deliver presentations.
• Exposure to individuals from the public who are upset, angry, agitated and sometimes hostile, requiring the use of conflict management and coping skills.
• Frequently required to perform work in confidence and under pressure for deadlines, and to maintain professional composure and tact, patience, and courtesy always.
• The environment is dynamic and constantly changing, resulting in continually re-evaluating and shifting priorities.
• Requires the ability to occasionally lift and/or carry objects and materials weighing up to fifty pounds.
• May be required to stay at or return to work during public health incidents and/or emergencies to perform duties specific to this classification or to perform other duties as requested in an assigned response position. This may require working a non-traditional work schedule or working outside normal assigned duties during the incident and/or emergency.

Education & Experience:

• High school diploma or equivalent and two years of experience in a medical clinic or public health setting, OR
• A combination of education, experience, skills, knowledge, and abilities that demonstrate competency will be considered and may be qualifying.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

• General knowledge of disease surveillance and response, outreach strategies and case management principles.
• Knowledge of and ability to apply basic math skills to work performed.
• Correct English usage including grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Communication business practices include electronic, telephone and direct public contact.
• Computer operations and a variety of software including spreadsheet, database and other applications related to the area of assignment.
• Interpret and apply relevant federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and agency policies and procedures.
• Maintain sensitive and confidential medical data.
• Use tact, discretion, respect, and courtesy to gain the cooperation of others and establish and maintain effective working relationships with rapport with co-workers, volunteers, other programs, representatives of other agencies and businesses, and diverse members of the public.
• Assure that absolute confidentiality is maintained as required and sensitive information is handled appropriately.
• Fulfill the commitment of the District to provide outstanding customer service.
• Organize, prioritize, and coordinate work assignments. Work effectively in a multi-task environment. Take appropriate initiative. Apply good judgment, creativity, and logical thinking to obtain potential solutions to unique problems and to make reasoned decisions within the scope of knowledge and authority or refer to the appropriate person.
• Be attentive to detail, consistently follow written and oral instructions and guidelines, maintain a high degree of accuracy and complete records, check data, and prepare and review material in reports and correspondence.
• Proficiently and accurately operate office and other equipment standard to the area of assignment.
• Utilize computers, databases and related software and automated equipment to produce worksheets and reports, typing with speed and accuracy to accomplish assignments in a timely manner.
• Communicate orally and in writing to a variety of audiences in a clear, comprehensive, effective, and professional manner.
• Gather and analyze data and develop clear, concise, and comprehensive reports, correspondence, and other written materials.
• Exercise discretion and sound independent judgment in decision making.
• Coordinate, organize, and prioritize work, follow directions, instructions, and protocol in the course of duties assigned.
• Work both independently and cooperatively within a collaborative team-oriented environment.
• Maintain current knowledge for assigned areas and adapt to new technologies, keeping technical skills up to date.

Licenses, Certificates & Other Requirements:

• Performance of job duties requires driving on a regular basis, a valid Washington State driver’s license, the use of the incumbent’s personal motor vehicle when a District fleet vehicle is not available for use, and proof of appropriate auto insurance.

To view the posting and to submit the required electronic application, please visit our website at kitsappublichealth.org and select the About Us tab to the Join Our Team section or visit GovernmentJobs.com.