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 position to full-time status; this could increase the time it takes for Epidemiology staff to contact patients with reportable conditions, thereby delaying the time to institute control measures to prevent the spread of diseases.
Financial Considerations: Position #20002317 is a permanent part-time (0.80 FTE) Range 129 position on the Health Department staffing table. The attached budget impact statement indicates the cost to move Position #20002317 from a permanent part-time (0.80 FTE) status to a full-time (1.00 FTE) status, would cost an additional $10,258 for the remainder of 2015; and $13,009 for 2016.
This position (#20002317) is currently funded through fund center #38018-110 (Epidemiology Local); a portion (0.20 FTE) of Position #20002256 will be moved to fund center 380016-15 (KDHE State Formula) to offset the increase in funding. Sufficient budget authority is included in the 2015 budget; no additional budget authority is being requested.
No additional funds are being provided by KDHE to offset this adjustment.
Legal Considerations:
Policy Considerations: