Healthcare-Associated Infection (HAI) Prevention Program Data Specialist

Overview:

The Healthcare-Associated Infection (HAI) Prevention Program Data Specialist is a member of an interdisciplinary team of epidemiologists and public health consultants assisting Florida in reaching its strategic public health goals.

Essential Functions:

• Provide technical assistance either in person, via teleconferencing, or by web-based training to facilities regarding the system requirements for reporting data into the NHSN and the application of the NHSN HAI and AU/AR modules within specified formats of the Clinical Document Architecture.
• Create and submit PowerPoint presentations for facilities involved with the HAI and AR collaboratives to explain and review the HAI activities.
• Assist with conducting and analyzing assessments of HAI and AU/AR data with participating facilities in the multidrug resistant organism (MDRO) collaboratives.
• Monitor facilities participating in the HAI and AR collaboratives to ensure they report HAI and AU/AR data (infection and laboratory) to the NHSN for the duration of the collaborative, through monthly teleconference check-ins, or as requested.
  6.1.5. Participate in HAI and AR collaborative teleconferences and educational presentations.
• Establish and submit priority metrics and priority regions determined through data analysis, for areas of concern regarding Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, MDROs, and C. difficile (CDI) measures using Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance and data for action.
• Create and submit dashboards and data alert processes for the SAS to enable staff at the state and county level to review and act upon data received through all data sources, relating to HAI and AR.
• Establish access to NHSN infection data and AU/AR data (e.g., Data Use Agreement [DUA] or other mechanism), and other relevant data (e.g., electronic laboratory reporting (ELR) data from National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS)) for review of HAI and MDRO data following CDC guidance.
• Review and validate facility data submitted following NHSN guidance to ensure accuracy in reporting.
• Monitor submitted NHSN data daily for signs of potential MDRO and CDI outbreaks and increased incidence, according to CDC guidelines and Standard Infection Ratios (SIR).
• Using CDC NHSN and ELR resources, review data for all facilities reporting HAI and ELR data and create reports from the analysis looking for outliers as defined by CDC, missing submissions from facilities, or other anomalies in trended data according to CDC standards from facilities.  Submit the completed reports to the HAI program manager.
• Assess regional risk factors and areas of concern using multiple data sources from public health and health care facilities, for HAI and AR using NHSN guidelines as directed. Develop a report and submit it to the HAI program manager.
• Assist the HAI program by performing and submitting analysis of NHSN data, using the Standardized Infection Ratios (SIRs) to produce HAI reports, AU/AR reports, and facility-level analysis, following CDC NHSN recommendations for analysis and data for action monthly, quarterly, and as directed.
• Assist HAI team by running and submitting monthly and quarterly NHSN-driven Targeted Assessment for Prevention (TAP) reports for facilities, counties, and regions of the state using TAP Report function available in NHSN.
• Using NHSN resources evaluate and submit annual survey data to the HAI Program manager according to CDC standards on the SIR for year-end reports and program planning, year-end reports are to be shared with the HAI program to assess trends and gaps in reported HAI and AR metrics.
• Using NHSN data shared under the DUA, review, and report to the HAI team the monthly, quarterly, and yearly HAI metric data.
• Create reports by region, county, and facility to track and identify data trends for prioritization of technical and quality assurance activities and collaborative(s) and submit them to the HAI program manager.
• Perform 6-month data checks on surgical site infections (Colon and Hysterectomy) and Lab ID CDI measures following NHSN guidance and submit finding to the HAI program manager.

Qualifications:

• MPH or equivalent degree in epidemiology or a health-related field, or a Bachelor's degree in public health or alternate degree in a health-related field with sufficient work experience.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strong data analysis and data visualization skills and a firm understanding of public health surveillance, syndromic surveillance, and surveillance system evaluation methodologies.
• Experience with analysis software such as SAS, SQL, Access, R, and/or other analytical tools.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Three years of experience:
  • Working with the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) patient safety component.
  • Educating health-care professionals on the use of NHSN modules and application of surveillance definitions.
  • Infection prevention and control principles, using nationally recognized guidelines.
• One year of experience working within NHSN’s Antibiotic utilization/antibiotic resistance (AU/AR) modules.
• One year of experience applying NHSN surveillance definitions.

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