Viral Hepatitis Program Investigator (HEPI)

Equal Opportunity Employer

The mission of the Health Federation of Philadelphia is to promote health equity for marginalized communities by advancing access to high-quality, integrated, and comprehensive health and human services.  Health equity is at the heart of all our work. We believe in and are firmly committed to equal employment opportunity for employees and applicants. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, religion, disability, sex or gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, military or veteran status.  This commitment applies to all aspects of the Health Federation of Philadelphia’s employment practices, including recruiting, hiring, training, and promotion.

Cover Letter Required

JOB SUMMARY

The HEPI will perform public health disease surveillance work concerning the detection and control of viral hepatitis, specifically hepatitis B, hepatitis C and hepatitis D. The work involves interviewing patients, either by phone or in the field, working with health care providers, reviewing medical records, and contacting laboratories to collect information and ensure accurate reporting of data. As program resources allow, the HEPI will support patients navigation healthcare to receive viral hepatitis care and treatment. The HEPI will be a part of the Viral Hepatitis Program in the Division of Disease Control and will be expected to work closely and efficiently with team members to best serve the populations we serve. The PDPH Viral Hepatitis Program appreciates diversity among its staff and does not discriminate based on race, age, religion, ability, marital status, sexual orientation, sex, or gender identity.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS

Responsibilities/Duties

• Performing surveillance activities to identify viral hepatitis cases;
• Reviewing and interpreting viral hepatitis test results;
• Making site visits to health care and other facilities, as needed;
• Collecting medical treatment case data from patients, providers, and medical records potentially at offsite locations;
• Conducting field investigations to collect diagnostic, clinical, and risk factor data of persons suspected of having or known to have viral hepatitis, including incarcerated individuals and people who use drugs;
• Educating patients on the causes, symptoms, effects, and treatment of the disease(s) and motivating individuals to seek medical diagnosis and treatment;
• Support linkage to and navigation to viral hepatitis medical care, as programming allows;
• Entering, reviewing, and validating viral hepatitis data in the Department’s Communicable Disease Management System;
• Work with diverse communities throughout Philadelphia, representative of all residents;
• Preparing surveillance information for inclusion in viral hepatitis registry; collecting and consolidating epidemiologic data on viral hepatitis;
• Potential of performing field investigations, including at the Philadelphia Department of Prisons;
• Support program activities through close work with the Viral Hepatitis team;
• Participate in emergency preparedness exercises and real response activities at the discretion of the Viral Hepatitis Manager and Division Director.

Education

• Completion of a Bachelor's degree program at an accredited college or university in a public health, science, or related field preferred, but not required. Relevant years of experience can be substituted for formal education.

Skills/Experience

• One year of experience in a medical, public health, or related field is preferred,
• Performing community outreach and education, preferably about health or social services programs,
• Working in a health care setting (health department, hospital, FQHC, primary care, community-based organization, etc.),
• Ability to maintain confidential medical information,
• Knowledge of and ability to work and engage with individuals who are part of specific populations, including incarcerated individuals, persons who use drugs, recent immigrants, uninsured, under-served and under-represented populations,
• Knowledge of harm reduction, stages of change, and motivational interviewing, preferred,
• Working knowledge of hepatitis B and C, including transmission, prevention strategies, laboratory and treatment information preferred (additional training will be provided)
• Strong written and verbal communications skills,
• Must be skilled in Microsoft Office suite, and have the ability to perform data collection in multiple platforms including REDCap,
• Able to handle multiple tasks and support project timeline with a high degree of organizational skill,
• Able to work effectively and professionally in a fast-paced environment.

Work Environment: Standard office setting or alternative work location, in accordance with City of Philadelphia guidelines. This position may also requires some time in the field performing site audits.

Position Type and Work Schedule:  Full time position, typical hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.  Work location is the Philadelphia Department of Health Division of Disease Control office at 1101 Market St. in Philadelphia. Alternative work location may be integrated depending on City of Philadelphia/Health Department policy.

Travel:  Local travel to multiple sites several times per month, as needed.

Physical Demands: Ability to transport materials on occasion; walking to meetings in nearby offices.

Application: If interested, please send a resume/CV and a cover letter.   Applications without cover letters will not be considered.

Salary and Benefits:  Our employees are our most valuable resource, so we offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package, which can include:

• Medical with vision benefits
• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending accounts
• Life, AD&D and long-term care insurance
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• 403(b) Retirement Plan, with a company contribution
• Paid time off including vacation, sick, personal and holiday
• Employee Assistance Program

Eligibility and participation is handled consistent with the plan documents and HFP policy. 

DISCLAIMER

The Health Federation reserves the right to modify, interpret, or apply this job description in any way the Company desires. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by an employee assigned to this position. This job description in no way implies that these are the only duties, including essential duties, responsibilities and/or skills to be performed by the employee occupying this position. This job description is not an employment contract, implied, or otherwise. The employment relationship remains “at will.” The aforementioned job requirements are subject to change to reasonably accommodate qualified disabled individuals.