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Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
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POSITION DESCRIPTION FOR JOB POSTING |
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Position Number: 00004504 |
Description Activated On: 11/19/2025 1:54:18 PM |
Position Purpose: Describe the primary purpose of this position and how it contributes to the organization’s objectives. Example: Provides clerical and office support within the Division to ensure its operations are conducted efficiently and effectively. This position serves as the statistician responsible for independently coordinating, reviewing and recommending for approval all requests for case-level, protected vital event and cancer incidence data that meet the Bureau’s strict guidelines. Additionally, the incumbent conducts complete statistical analyses of all vital events data received by the Department including the review and interpretation of data received, as well as independently design and develop statistical programs/tools to improve quality of data in order to support agency decision making. This position will collaborate with registry staff, field program staff, and a wide variety of external stakeholders to identify quality gaps, registry integrity risks, and design mechanisms to improve the efficiency and accuracy of validation processes to meet legal and contractual requirements. |
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Description of Duties: Describe in detail the duties and responsibilities assigned to this position. Descriptions should include the major end result of the task. Example: Types correspondence, reports, and other various documents from handwritten drafts for review and signature of the supervisor. Independently designs and develops custom computer programs utilizing various computer languages, such as SAS and SQL, for the purpose of retrieving, formatting, coding, and analyzing the vital event data which includes mortality, birth, fetal death, and infant death data sets. Develops and performs numerous custom quality control routines used to determine the accuracy and completeness of birth, death, induced termination of pregnancy, and fetal death data reported to the Bureau, and recommends processes for resolving data quality issues (such as identifying those facilities that fall below set thresholds or tolerance levels for data quality and recommend where to focus training/retraining efforts as a Bureau.) Has a thorough knowledge of vital statistics procedures, state coding procedures and the statistical requirements developed by standards established by the National Center for Health Statistics. Independently develops custom statistical output utilizing statistical software, such as SAS, based upon extensive independent consultation with program staff residing in various agencies throughout the Commonwealth, as well as outside data requesters to best support the agency’s needs or research study goals. Produces and maintains documentation for all statistical and computer-generated output. Performs computation and analyses of data using complex statistical formulas including methods such as time series, frequency distributions, cross-tabulations, standardized rates, standard errors, and confidence intervals. Utilizes personal computer hardware and software (such as SAS, ACCESS, EXCEL, LinkPlus) to produce print-ready output necessary for reports, dashboards, etc. used to assist the agency in decision making. Responsible for independently coordinating, reviewing, and recommending for approval all requests for confidential vital statistics information. Ensure that requesters meet all legal and policy criteria which the Department requires prior to releasing these data. This includes assisting the requestor with completing the Application for Access to Protected Data, the review of a completed Application for Access to Protected Data form including the researcher's scientific protocol, and all subsequent contact with researchers and legal counsel to clarify complex or sensitive issues such as the use of contact letters and study participation consent forms when permission is requested to contact family members or next of kin; and to ensure that the data requested meets the objectives of the individual users. Works directly with principal researchers, epidemiologists and other management staff of federal agencies (such as the Department of Energy, the National Institutes of Occupational Safety and Health, and the National Center for Health Statistics); state and local agencies (such as other states' health agencies, county health departments, Pennsylvania state agencies); and universities. This requires initiative within the broad framework of the existing Vital Statistics Law of 1953 and Cancer Registry Laws to uphold the Department's legal responsibilities. Not all requests are approved due to Pennsylvania's strict confidentiality laws. Obtains and analyzes the facts from reviewing a completed application and develops a conclusion recommending approval or disapproval. Prepares a report of these findings for review by the Director of the Division of Statistical Registries and the Bureau Director. Responsible for accessing automated Pennsylvania Vital Records (births, deaths, and fetal deaths) and Cancer Registry Records to produce statistical output necessary to respond to requests for protected data. This may include the preparation of complex computer programs and multi-step matching procedures in order to capture required data from multiple data files (e.g. births/infant deaths). Develops SQL queries utilizing CDC-developed Cancer Registry software to extract requested data in appropriate formats. Works directly with IT staff to develop databases to store, retrieve, link and manipulate vital event data. Continually applies mathematical and statistical techniques utilizing various software packages (SAS, Excel, Access, Link Plus) to analyze and interpret data. Determines best course of action and implements new techniques based on the findings. Responds to complex data requests within a timely manner while addressing the needs of the requester. For research requests, this includes thorough explanation of the data collected while keeping in mind the researcher’s goals in order to develop new/innovative ways to provide the proper data items to keep within the scope of the research and releasing the data to them quickly and securely. Serves as the Bureau's designee, or back-up, for assisting in the coordination of efforts to identify and implement HIPAA-related regulations which affect Bureau programs. Duties include reviewing the Bureau's current public and protected health information data release policies, and making adjustments to those release policies based on reviews of current and future HIPAA regulations. Serves as the Bureau’s designee, or back-up, for the implementation of the State and Territorial Exchange of Vital Events system (STEVE). Coordination includes working directly with the National Association for Public Health Statistics and Information Systems (NAPHSIS) and its members including all U.S. state/territory vital events offices ensuring the timely and secure exchange of confidential vital event data. Works with, consults, and trains data users and various heads of agencies to help them to understand vital statistics - including use and limitations, definitions of terms, reporting procedures etc. This requires familiarity with vital records processing procedures, coding (including the International Classification of Diseases, geocoding at the minor civil division level, occupation and industry codes, etc.) and registration methods. Works with professional, technical and supervisory personnel from other units of the Department, other state agencies, provider associations, federal agencies, etc. to improve data quality, determine unmet data needs, and reduce duplication in data collection. Provides training and technical support, as well as statistical consultation to internal staff and external data users while recommending data use/best practices. Develop and adhere to agreed upon computerized vital event data file layout and coding definitions when providing data sets to internal and external data users. Communicate with appropriate staff/high level agency officials when recommending improvements or changes to data file specifications ensuring the understanding and impact of the change (i.e. how the change may affect future analyses of the data or impact other data sets). Works with staff to redesign vital statistics data collection instruments (can include worksheets, applications, certificates, electronic systems). Works with field staff to develop revised written manuals containing coding and data entry instructions. These manuals are revised on a periodic basis and must ensure uniformity so that coded data will be reliable. Provide the training and instructing of personnel in the use of these manuals. Composes memoranda, letters, narrative and statistical reports, etc. concerning various topics including correspondence with data users and providers, meeting reports, monthly status reports and dashboards, evaluation of data collection efforts, summary of statistical findings, etc. Writes articles that involve analytical use and presentation of vital statistics for inclusion in the Bureau’s bimonthly newsletter, “Statistical News,” and other Department publications. Attends training sessions and courses to increase knowledge of statistical, data management, and computer usage techniques, and workshops on computer software packages and vital records. Demonstrate awareness of the vulnerable populations the organization serves by identifying, providing, and advocating for resources, services, communication methods, and policies that would help those populations achieve health equity. Ensures all assigned requests for birth, death, fetal death, and/or cancer incidence data are thoroughly reviewed and adjudicated appropriately to minimize the risk of over release of confidential information. Ensures, on a routine basis, that the listing of all staff associated with a protected data request (including, but not limited to, the project director, other individuals identified as contacts with knowledge of the project, and all additional staff members requiring access to the provided data) is accurate at the time of outreach and/or provision of the deliverable. Public Health Emergency Response – This position may be given an assignment to support the public health emergency response mission of the Department of Health. Emergency assignments could at times be received with little or no advance notice, and may continue for any period of time – ranging from a few hours to several weeks, depending on the nature of the circumstance. The emergency assignments may at times be performed under adverse conditions and may require travel to another site other than the employee’s assigned headquarters for a period of time. Participates in special projects and surveys as required. Performs related work as required. |
Decision Making: Describe the types of decisions made by the incumbent of this position and the types of decisions referred to others. Identify the problems or issues that can be resolved at the level of this position, versus those that must be referred to the supervisor. Example: In response to a customer inquiry, this work involves researching the status of an activity and preparing a formal response for the supervisor’s signature. Work is assigned in the form of routine responsibilities, program objectives, and special projects. Work is performed with considerable independence under general supervision of a statistical supervisor and is reviewed upon completion for conformance with prescribed objectives. |
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Requirements Profile: Identify any specific experience or requirements, such as a licensure, registration, or certification, which may be necessary to perform the functions of the position. Position-specific requirements should be consistent with a Special Requirement or other criteria identified in the classification specification covering this position. Example: Experience using Java; Professional Engineer License Experience: Licenses, registrations, or certifications: 1. N/A 2. N/A 3. N/A 4. 5. 6. |
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Essential Functions: Provide a list of essential functions for this position. Example: Transports boxes weighing up to 60 pounds.
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