Title
Approve permanent staffing table adjustment for the Sedgwick County Health Department Epidemiology Program.
Body
Recommended Action: Approve the change request to the Health Department staffing table for Position #20002317.
Background: The Health Department's Epidemiology Program protects residents of Sedgwick County from health threats by monitoring illness in the community and investigating reportable diseases and outbreaks. Investigations include obtaining information from medical providers and patients to verify diagnosis, identify any ill contacts, and ensure disease control measures are implemented. The primary objective of disease investigations is to stop the spread of disease.
Disease investigations are a core function of public health across the United States and are governed by state statutes (K.S.A. 65-118, 65-128, 65-6001 through 65-6007, K.A.R. 28-1-2, 28-1-4 and 28-1-18).
In January 2014, KDHE added patients with elevated blood lead tests to the list of over 50 reportable diseases and conditions local health departments investigate. In 2014, this added 33 more cases to Sedgwick County Epidemiology's workload. The investigations require phone calls, faxes and mailings to medical providers and patients. Each investigation takes about one hour over the course of several days. In addition, one Epidemiology staff person regularly discusses elevated blood lead procedures and cases with partners at KDHE and the Kansas Poison Control Center. The added 0.20 of staff time would enable the addition of blood lead investigations to occur without jeopardizing response to other reportable diseases.
Epidemiology staff has medical knowledge and thorough understanding of disease transmission and control. They have the knowledge and skills to understand, analyze and interpret health data from a variety of sources and can communicate disease trends and prevention measures to medical professionals and the public.
Alternatives: To not move the po...
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