Physician, Bureau of Public Health Clinics

About the role

The Division of Disease Control's mission is to safeguard the health of New Yorkers through identification, surveillance, treatment, control, and prevention of infectious diseases, achieved through the varied and interrelated endeavors of its seven Bureaus. The Bureau of Public Health Clinics (BPHC) promotes a healthy community by providing New Yorkers with the resources needed to make informed and empowered health decisions; identifies and treats tuberculosis; and provides immunization and sexual health services regardless of ability to pay or immigration status. BPHC delivers direct clinic services, monitors disease trends, provides education and training, conducts research, and develops policies and programs to deliver high-quality clinical care.

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health Department), established in 1805, is the oldest and largest health department in the U.S., dedicated to protecting and improving the health of NYC. Its mission is to safeguard the health of every resident and cultivate a city where everyone, regardless of age, background, or location, can achieve optimal health. The agency offers programs and services in food and nutrition, anti-tobacco support, chronic disease prevention, HIV/AIDS treatment, family and child health, environmental health, mental health, and social justice initiatives. As the primary population health strategist and policy authority for NYC, it serves as a global leader in public health innovation and expertise, from addressing the 1822 yellow fever outbreak to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Responsibilities

• Performs direct patient care in his/her clinic 5 days a week.
• Manages day-to-day clinical care of patients within his/her chest center.
• Supervises other physicians in the clinic and completes performance evaluations in a timely manner.
• Coordinates review of labs and chest x-rays and coordinates the follow-up of abnormal results with the patient in timely fashion.
• Ensures that all TB disease or suspected TB patients (Class III & V) in the Center have been reported and that every effort is made to ensure follow‑up and complete appropriate treatment.
• Ensures that Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) is given to as many patients as possible.
• Reviews the records of patients on clinic and community‑based DOT.
• Recommends appropriate cases for intermittent DOT.
• Performs QA on medical records of other physicians to ensure prompt, effective treatment for priority patients (TB disease, suspected TB disease, contacts, immunosuppressed or HIV patients).
• All contacts, HIV‑infected persons on treatment for latent TB infection should be monitored intensively by the PIC.
• Meets weekly with PHAs and other clinic staff to conduct case management on all Class III patients in the Center, ensuring appropriate treatment, contact within 24 hours of a missed clinic visit, appropriate contact investigation and monitoring, and return to treatment if needed.
• Follows up with Case Manager and appropriate staff on these issues.
• Drug‑resistant/drug‑intolerant TB patients, including MDR and rifampin‑resistant, are reviewed monthly at a minimum and when needed.
• Ensures that case management is documented in the TB registry system (Maven).
• Communicates and interacts with non‑DOH medical providers and health care workers as needed to reinforce guidelines for high‑standard TB treatment.