TB Tele-contact Investigation Coordinator – Region 7/ Cebu City (TBIHSS) At FHI 360

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS – TB Tele-contact Investigation Coordinator for Region 7

FHI 360/Philippines (www.fhi360.org) is in search of candidates for TB Treatment and Tele-contact Investigation Coordinator position to join the USAID-funded “TB Innovations and Health Systems Strengthening” project in the Philippines. The TB Treatment and Tele-contact Investigation Coordinator will be based at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) Cebu City and will assist the VSMMC TB team on the TPT activities in coordination with and with guidance from the Regional Implementation Manager and Field Implementation Officer.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The “TB Innovations and Health Systems Strengthening (TBIHSS)” project is a 5-year USAID funded project that aims to strengthen national and regional level implementation of the National TB Strategic Plan by providing state-of-the-art capacity building and technical expertise to scale-up TB and DR-TB prevention, detection and treatment. The Project will identify and help implement proven approaches to improve prevention, increase case detection rate, decrease loss to follow-up rate, and increase treatment success and cure rates across the continuum of care.

Finding missing patients with tuberculosis (TB) is one of the National TB Control Program’s (NTP) priority interventions to achieve the Philippine Strategic TB Elimination Plan: Phase 1 (PhilSTEP1) vision of a TB-free Philippines by 2035. Large hospitals in highly urbanized cities are generally very busy with large patient load. The 2016 National TB Prevalence Survey (NTPS) showed that CXR is more sensitive than symptom-based screening for TB, 92% vs 32%, respectively. In this regard, FHI360-TB Innovation and Health System Strengthening Project, in coordination with DOH-National TB Control Program; Centers for Health Development in Metro Manila, III and IVA; and targeted six Level 3 hospitals and their attached Local Government Units developed an intensified TB case finding (ICF) model to assist NTP in finding missing TB patients. A screen all strategy will be done in the out-patient department (OPD) and other departments of the above-mentioned hospitals using a mobile digital X-ray with computer assisted chest x-ray reading by artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Although the focus of the activity is on case finding, it is vital to ensure the implementation of the continuum of cascade of TB care from screening to prompt diagnosis to timely initiation of appropriate treatment and prevention by conducting contact investigation (CI) and providing TB preventive treatment (TPT) to eligible contacts of patients with drug-susceptible TB.

JOB SUMMARY:

The TB TCIC will be based in VSMMC (a Level 3 hospital) and will assist the Hospital TB team on the TPT activities in coordination with and with guidance from the Regional Implementation Manager and Field Implementation Officer.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES: **

Assist the VSMMC hospital TB team in the conduct of the following activities:

• Under TPT:
• Coordinate with the hospital TB team for the day-to-day work on CI and TPT for efficient and smooth operation to achieve targets and goals.
• Make and keep an updated masterlist of all index drug-susceptible TB cases for contact investigation including those identified through the hospital ICF activity and those TB cases enrolled in the 3 months prior to start of ICF.
• Conduct tele-contact investigation of household contacts of index cases using the contact investigation form (CIF) within 2-3 days of initiation of TB treatment and secure schedule of the family for facility-based screening.
• Tele-arrange referral for TB work-up of contacts and initiation of TPT among those found eligible at the health facility most accessible to the patient/s if travel to hospital is difficult.
• Assist the hospital TB team during the screening of the household contacts.
• Accomplish the NTP laboratory request and collect sputum specimen from among those identified as presumptive TB.
• Ensure completeness and accuracy of the data written in the screening and laboratory request and dispatch forms
• Bring/arrange transport of sputum samples (together with NTP Laboratory Request forms and dispatch) to the TB Diagnostic Laboratory
• Help follow-up results of requested laboratory tests
• Follow-up with family on their schedules for screening. If mobility and/or finances will be an issue, the family will be referred to the City/Municipal Health Office where the family resides.
• Ensure all household contacts eligible for TPT are initiated treatment whether in the hospital or nearest TB providing health facility (e.g., City/Municipal Health Unit).
• Monitor compliance/adherence of all TPT cases started on treatment in the hospital and coordinate/report to hospital TB team any adverse drug reactions experienced by the patients.
• Trace and report the treatment outcomes of TB case reported under mandatory notification in the hospital in collaboration with the TB treatment center through telephonic, messenger communication with private providers.
• Update TPT data in the ICF database.
• Assist in data consolidation and data analysis
• Submit report on:
• list of index BC or CD DS TB cases for contact investigation; and
• status of cases/contacts investigated and tracked for outcome of treatment
• list of TB cases reported under mandatory notification for tracking the outcome of treatment
• Under ICF: (applicable in hospitals with ICF activity)
• Provide support to the ICF activities as requested by the hospital TB team (e.g., assist in following up latest laboratory results, contacting/monitoring diagnosed TB cases to ensure BCTB cases are initiated treatment)
• Coordinate with ICF team and FIO assigned to the hospital

WORKING CONDITIONS AND TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:**

· Willing to report to the assigned Level 3 hospital TB DOTS Unit on a regular basis depending on the arrangement with the Hospital TB team.

• Ability to travel domestically at least 80%.

EDUCATION AND REQUIRED EXPERIENCE:

• At least a high school graduate with experience of working as community health worker, or with a diploma in any related health sciences or its equivalent
• Minimum 6 months of experience working in health development sector, nongovernment organization (NGO) or public-sector programs
• Experience working in TB program, implementation of hospital-based ICF, CI and TB preventive treatment (TPT); familiarity with ICF/TPT data base is an advantage
• Able to communicate in a clear, positive and in a professional manner with clients and patients
• Can speaks fluently on the local dialect where she or he will be assigned
• With good interpersonal and teamwork skills
• Knowledgeable in using Microsoft Office such as Word and Excel

This job description summarizes the main duties of the job. It neither prescribes nor restricts the exact tasks that may be assigned to carry out these duties. This document should not be construed in any way to represent a contract of employment. Management reserves the right to review and revise this document at any time.

FHI360 is an equal employment and affirmative action employer whereby we do not engage in practices that discriminate against any person employed or seeking employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information or any other status or characteristic protected under applicable law.