Advanced Therapy Social Work Coordinator

Shields Advanced Therapies•Durham, NC

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Advanced Therapy Social Work Coordinator serves as a dedicated patient and caregiver advocate within The Duke Cell and Gene Therapy Center, ensuring that patients can access, navigate, and complete their treatment journeys with minimal barriers. This role is responsible for patient screening to identify social, emotional, financial and environmental barriers to care, end-to-end coordination of non-clinical pre- and post-hospital needs, financial assistance procurement, travel and lodging logistics, and the maintenance of critical patient records. The role requires deep familiarity with the patient support ecosystem for complex oncology and advanced therapy programs, including manufacturer-sponsored assistance programs, institutional resources, and the nuanced care pathways associated with therapies such as CAR-T, bispecific antibodies, gene therapies, and others. The Coordinator serves as a consistent, compassionate point of contact for patients, caregivers, and referring providers, ensuring that no patient is prevented from receiving a life-changing therapy due to psychological, social, logistical or financial obstacles. This role requires strong organizational discipline, a detail-oriented mindset, and the interpersonal ability to deliver white-glove service to patients navigating long and often emotionally and physically demanding treatment courses. The ideal candidate brings experience operating independently within complex healthcare environments while also collaborating effectively across clinical, operational, and administrative teams.

Requirements

Current licensure as a licensed clinical social work (LCSW) b the NC Social Work Certification and Licensure Board
Adherence to the practice standards and ethical guidelines of NASW and the NC Certification Board for Social Work
Masters degree in social work from an accredited school of social work, two years of clinical social work experience post masters' are preferred
5–7+ years of experience in a non-clinical healthcare coordination function, such as social work, care navigation, patient access coordination, financial counseling, or a related field within a health system or specialty care environment
Deep knowledge of patient scheduling, coordination, and support tools, including proficiency with Epic EHR systems and related patient management platforms
Demonstrated experience with cell and gene therapies or other advanced or complex oncology treatments, including CAR-T, bispecific antibodies, theranostics, or adjacent care pathways such as bone marrow transplant
Familiarity with manufacturer patient assistance programs, co-pay support structures, and the financial assistance landscape for high-cost specialty therapies
Strong organizational skills and a detail-oriented approach, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent cases and administrative workflows without compromising service quality
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage compassionately and credibly with patients, caregivers, referring providers, manufacturer representatives, and internal clinical teams
Proven ability to excel in an independent, self-directed role that requires proactive problem-solving, strong follow-through, and personal ownership of outcomes for patients
Experience maintaining accurate records, compiling program statistics, and contributing to reporting that informs operational and advocacy decisions

Nice To Haves

Experience working within an academic medical center, NCI-designated cancer center, or health system with a dedicated cell and gene therapy or bone marrow transplant program
Direct experience navigating manufacturer hub programs, specialty pharmacy coordination, or integrated support services for advanced oncology therapies
Background in social work, financial counseling, or case management with exposure to indigent care, foundations, or government assistance programs as they relate to oncology
Comfortable working cross-functionally with physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and operations teams in a fast-paced, high-acuity clinical environment
Prior experience in an early-stage or evolving treatment area within healthcare where building new processes and structures from the ground up is expected

Responsibilities

Provide psychosocial assessment of advanced therapy patients and families to identify emotional, social, financial, and environmental barriers to care and challenges related to their diagnosis, illness, or treatment
Conduct patient screening visits prior to patient cell and gene therapy treatments to understand social barriers to care (e.g., compliance, financial barriers, etc.) and support triage
Participate in multi-disciplinary health care teams across cell and gene therapy and provide leadership in representing the clinical social work perspective / liaison with the patient & family
Arrange, procure, and coordinate comprehensive pre- and post-hospital support for patients and caregivers, including housing, transportation, meals, and other logistical needs that arise throughout the advanced therapy treatment journey
Support patient application for and coordination of travel and lodging resources available through both Duke Health and individual therapy manufacturers, ensuring patients are aware of and connected to all available assistance and following up to ensure successful applications
Own and manage manufacturer-specific application processes for reduced-cost or fully covered therapies and products, including patient assistance programs, co-pay support, free drug programs, and related financial resources
Maintain accurate and up-to-date records and statistics related to patient support activity, financial coverage secured, assistance program utilization, and outcomes downstream referrals to psychiatry or other cancer supportive care services
Actively advocate for the identification and expansion of financial resources to increase advanced therapy access across patient populations, including engaging with manufacturers, foundations, and institutional stakeholders to develop and expand available support channels
Support creation of required non-product clinical workflows in systems such as Epic, identifying where new products or therapies may need system builds or otherwise to support patient care
Partner closely with the clinical care team, operations, and social work colleagues to align non-clinical coordination efforts with the overall patient care plan
Share insights from patient interactions and program gaps to support internal quality improvement and advocacy efforts