BTCD DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH & EVALUATION

Job ID	1000063353
Req Name	DHSCXM63353
Location	Phoenix
Type	Exmpt HF Apvd Mission Critical
Shift	First
Department	Health Services, Department of
Salary Grade	23
Salary Range	$46,932-$80,149
Total openings	1
Apply by	Nov 28, 2011

The Position:
Develops and monitors evaluation and research of contracts and required contractual processes relative to tobacco control and the prevention and management of chronic disease.  Provides direction in development and evaluation of the projects.  Develops, implements, monitors and reports on the evaluation activities within the CDC annual work plans.  Supervises the evaluation and research team, and manages external contractors.  Prepares and submits evaluation and research program reports and grant applications, as assigned.  Responds to data requests from internal and external requestors.  Provides leadership and technical assistance to partners at the state, local, and community levels, with an emphasis on program evaluation and program planning.   Interprets data for a range of purposes.  Prepares reports and oral presentations which include recommendations for disease prevention, health promotion and program improvement.  Attends staff and team meetings.  Represents the bureau on assessment, evaluation and other core public health functions related to tobacco and chronic diseases.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs):
Individual must have knowledge in methods, procedures and techniques used in developing, implementing and maintaining disease surveillance programs.  The individual should be knowledgeable in epidemiology and biostatistics.  Skills in analyzing and evaluating a wide variety of technical epidemiological data.  SAS and or SPSS skills preferred.  Must have a working knowledge of computer hardware, software, limitations and variances sufficient to evaluate user needs and develop specific applications.  Must be able to present and communicate technical information verbally, written and visually to a broad range of audiences.  Prefer individual with Masters or Bachelors Degree in Public Health, Statistics or Business Administration.

U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Launches New Initiative Aimed to Prevent 1 million Heart Attacks and Strokes in Five Years

Million Hearts is a private-public sector initiative that focuses on improving aspirin use, blood pressure, cholesterol control and tobacco prevention

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), with several key initial partners, today launched Million Hearts, an initiative that aims to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes over the next five years. Currently, cardiovascular disease costs $444 billion every year in medical costs and lost productivity in Americans. Building on work already underway thanks to the Affordable Care Act, Million Hearts will help improve Americans’ health and increase productivity.

Million Hearts is focused on two goals:

• Empowering Americans to make healthy choices such as preventing tobacco use and reducing sodium and trans fat consumption. This can reduce the number of people who need medical treatment such as blood pressure or cholesterol medications to prevent heart attacks and strokes.
• Improving care for people who do need treatment by encouraging a targeted focus on the “ABCS” – Aspirin for people at risk, Blood pressure control, Cholesterol management and Smoking cessation – which address the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease and can help to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

“Heart disease causes 1 of every 3 American deaths and constitutes 17-percent of overall national health spending,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “By enlisting partners from across the health sector, Million Hearts will create a national focus on combating heart disease.”

Register for ASHLine’s Health Care Provider’s Webinar Series

Join the ASHLine Referral Development Team in a series of webinars, during the month of August, designed especially to assist our Health Care Partners.

Webinar #1: Are you currently maximizing your billing potential when counseling for tobacco cessation with your patients?  Shannon Vaffis, Assistant Director of ASHLine, will conduct this webinar and review CMS billing and opportunities to bill for tobacco cessation interventions.  Billing for Conversations about Tobacco Use will address how Health Care facilities and CMS billing.

Webinar #2: Are you familiar with Joint Commissions new measures regarding tobacco? In this webinar, we will discuss how ASHLine can assist your facilities in making sure you are meeting your accreditation standards for both health and behavioral health facilities. New Standards in Hospital Accreditation: How ASHLine can Assist Your Facility with Compliance.

Webinar #3: How can you meet your Electronic Health Measures by partnering with ASHLine? This webinar will review Electronic Health Meaningful Use and specifically cover how a relationship with a quitline can assist you in meeting your Core Tobacco Measures.  Meeting Your Electronic Health Record (EHR) Meaningful Use Measure Sets by Partnering with a Tobacco Cessation Quit Line.

 To register for these webinars, download the attached PDF registration link. 

 Ashline Webinar Series Registration Information_Final 4

Metro PHX air in American Lung report

Metro Phoenix air now rated 2nd-worst in U.S.
Area sheds ‘worst’ label; local officials still fault data used
by Shaun McKinnon – Apr. 27, 2011 02:00 AM The Arizona Republic

Read the article here.

Yavapai County ranks tops in Arizona in Health Factors survey

Scott Orr
The Daily Courier
April 1, 2011

PRESCOTT – Yavapai County ranked No. 1 among Arizona counties in a study of “Health Factors” released Wednesday.

The County Health Rankings survey, conducted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, ranked counties in every state – 3,000 total – grouping its results into two categories.

The first is Health Factors, which includes access to and quality of clinical care, social and economic factors, health behaviors, and the physical environment. Yavapai County was ranked No. 1 in the state in this category.

The second is Health Outcomes, which studied length and quality of life issues. Yavapai County came in at No. 8 of 15 counties in this area. (Santa Cruz County was ranked first.)