Epidemiologist

Overview:

A Contact Tracer will work on behalf of the City of Cincinnati Health Department (“Health Department”) and will be tasked with the following:

• Running the city’s COVID-19 hotline
• Performing positive case notifications and investigations
• Infection prevention and control activities with high-risk settings
• Providing vaccine scheduling and clinic vaccine administration support for the general public
• Other communicable disease-related needs as determined by the Cincinnati Health Department

Employees’ work hours are expected to be between 8:00am and 8:30am, daily (Monday through Sunday). The position is temporary and may end at any time depending on the demand.

Responsibilities:

The Contact Tracer will use a web-based client resource management (CRM) platform to call all contacts of anyone diagnosed with COVID-19. Contact Tracers are required to follow set scripts and adhere to policies and procedures. They will also comply with Department training regarding confidential information related to personal information.

Specifically, contact tracers will:

• Work onsite using office hardware/software/multiple computer applications (e.g., computer, iPhone, internet)
• Meet regularly with the COVID-19 Response Team for routine updates.
• Participate in all training to learn procedures as required.
• Conduct phone interviews with individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19 patients.
• Advise individuals to follow appropriate protocols, including self-quarantine and self- isolation.
• Have a clear understanding of Health guidelines and stay up-to-date on the most recent COVID-19 guidelines.
• Share relevant instructions for symptom monitoring and information about quarantine and isolation.
• Refer exposed individuals to COVID-19 testing locations according to protocol and support them in connecting to other resources where appropriate.
• Maintain ongoing communication with contacts to assess symptoms, ensure compliance with quarantine and determine social support needs and handle reporting of issues that arise.
• Consult and communicate approved information to respond to individuals’ questions and
• concerns.
• Maintain daily contact with the team supervisor and participate in reporting, training, and other activities as part of the team.
• Handle incoming call volume related to vaccine questions and scheduling.
• Conduct outreach to targeted populations for scheduling vaccines.
• Assist at vaccine distribution sites with registration, and other administrative functions.
• Perform other duties as required and/or assigned.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in a healthcare, medical, public health, community social services, or related setting
• Experience conducting interviews.
• Experience working in a remote setting.
• Experience working with diverse populations and individuals with complex needs.
• High proficiency in the use of a personal computer, data entry, Office 365, and Microsoft Teams
• Full-time availability (minimum 30 hours per week)
• Ability to exhibit a professional, positive attitude and independent work ethic
• Ability to show empathy to distressed individuals and assist with identifying solutions to problems identified.
• Adheres to established levels of service
• Excellent organizational and communication skills
• Sound judgment required
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and professionalism

Minimum Qualifications:

• Nine (9) months’ training/experience in office practices and procedures.
• Nine (9) months’ training/experience in public relations or customer service that included techniques for handling difficult people.
• Nine (9) months’ training/experience in typing, keyboarding, data entry, or word
• processing
• Nine (9) months’ training/experience in the operation of a personal computer.
• Must comply with HIPAA regulations.
• Must be able to work onsite at various locations in the City of Cincinnati and provide own reliable transportation.
• Must have laptop, cell phone (utilizing RingCentral), stable internet connection, and workspace set up (if remote).
• Experience in a healthcare, medical, public health, community social services, or related setting.
• High proficiency in the use of a computer, data entry, Office 365, and Microsoft Teams and ability to adapt to and learn new software programs as new tools are rapidly implemented.

Additional Qualifications (not required but preferred):

• Master’s degree or four (4) years’ related work experience.
• Experience conducting interviews.
• Experience working with diverse populations and individuals with complex needs.
• Bilingual or multilingual (e.g., full fluency in a language other than English)
• NOTE: Bilingual/multilingual Contact Tracers are expected to communicate with non-English speakers fluently and transcribe interviews in other languages into English; partial fluency or having rough skills in another language is not equivalent to full fluency.