A Day In The Life Of A Public Health Investigator At LA County Public Health
A day in the life of a Public Health Investigator at LA County Public Health involves "going out to the field, conducting field visits" on patients with conditions like tuberculosis or STIs, including home visits to interview patients and refer them for treatment, as well as working in a clinic to provide testing and treatment, and verifying treatment with other healthcare providers—making every day a unique blend of field work, clinic duties, and administrative tasks. The work includes challenges like encountering uncooperative individuals and navigating sensitive conversations with parents, but also the satisfaction of providing essential public health services.
Public Health, Field Work, Patient Interaction, Data Management, Medical Investigation
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Fabiola Chavez
Public Health Investigation Manager
LA County Public Health
Cal State Northridge , 2004
Cal State Northridge
Accounting
Healthcare, Medical & Wellness
Medical
Video Highlights
1. Public health investigators conduct field visits to patients' residences to inform them of positive test results for diseases like tuberculosis or STIs, sometimes facing resistance or emotional situations.
2. Investigators interview patients about their sexual history and ensure they receive appropriate treatment, referring them to clinics or doctors as needed.
3. The work is diverse, including field visits, clinic work, data entry, and training, with daily tasks varying considerably.
Transcript
What does a day in the life of a public health investigator look like?
A typical day for a public health investigator involves going out into the field. We conduct home visits with patients who have tested positive for tuberculosis or sexually transmitted diseases.
Our visits are to patients' residences. We inform them of their positive test results or if they've been named by someone who has tested positive for an STD.
Some days are better than others. You might get the door shut in your face, or parents might be upset because you need to speak with their 14-year-old son or daughter. They want to know what's going on.
However, by law, we are permitted to speak with any individual aged 12 and above without parental consent.
On a typical day, I would conduct about 10 home visits. If I'm lucky enough to find individuals at home, I'll conduct an interview.
During the interview, I'll ask about their sexual history and the number of partners they've had. I also ensure they've received adequate treatment for their STD.
If they haven't received treatment, I can refer them to LA County clinics or their private doctor. After answering any questions they may have, I return to the office to enter all the information into our data management system.
From there, I might be scheduled to work in our clinic. In the clinic, it's a similar process. We care for patients who come into our walk-in clinic for STD testing.
Others might come in saying they've tested positive for an STD and need treatment. Some may have been told by a partner who tested positive that they might benefit from testing.
Additionally, I might go to a doctor's office to verify treatment and review charts. This ensures patients have received the correct treatment.
I may also visit a doctor's office to educate them on the correct treatment guidelines that LA County follows, according to the CDC.
Every day is different. Some days I might dedicate entirely to field visits. Another day could be spent entirely in the office, managing clinic patients and doing data entry.
I might also have a training session that lasts for a few hours. The remaining time could be spent on further training or other tasks.
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