Inpatient Care Manager - MSW
About The Position
The Inpatient Care Manager - MSW coordinates comprehensive care for a designated patient population across the continuum of care. The role assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates individualized care plans while ensuring safe and timely discharge planning. Serving as a clinician, care manager, and educator, the position collaborates with the interdisciplinary team to achieve high-quality, cost-effective outcomes. The role also manages resources to minimize unnecessary utilization and supports performance improvement initiatives to enhance patient care and system efficiency. The position is onsite at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with rotating weekends, holidays, and on-call duties.
Requirements
- Master’s degree in Social Work.
- Less than one year of experience in an MSW internship program.
- Ability to incorporate strategies for interacting with people from diverse backgrounds.
- Ability to set priorities to coordinate care plans efficiently.
- Knowledge of computer applications and analytical tools.
- Proven leadership skills.
- For colleagues working in New Jersey, an LSW or LCSW license is required upon hire.
Nice To Haves
- Familiarity with EHRs, specifically EPIC.
- ACM (Accredited Case Manager) certification from the American Case Management Association within three years, or CCM (Certified Case Manager) certification from the Commission for Case Manager Certification within three years.
Responsibilities
- Conduct comprehensive assessments at patient entry to determine anticipated length of stay, discharge needs, and required resources.
- Develop and implement individualized plans of care and transition plans in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team.
- Coordinate safe and timely discharge planning, including post-acute authorizations, transportation, homecare, facility placements, and transfers.
- Review patient progress daily, participate in multidisciplinary rounds, and identify and resolve barriers to discharge.
- Advocate for patients and families, address clinical, educational, and psychosocial needs, and ensure patient preferences are reflected throughout the care continuum.
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary healthcare teams and patients or families in developing and implementing care plans; coordinate team or family conferences when needed.
- Refer patients or significant others to community-based services and resources to meet care needs across the continuum.
- Maintain knowledge of Medicare, Medicaid, and other payer benefits, reimbursement methodologies, and conditions of participation.
- Educate patients and families to support self-management and adherence to discharge care plans through in-person, telephone, and electronic engagement.
- Communicate with physicians, patients, families, and team members to facilitate referrals, authorizations, resolution of medical necessity issues, and transition and discharge planning.
- Initiate or ensure timely initiation of medical assistance applications when needed and follow up with identified external services.
- Deliver required regulatory notices within established timeframes, as applicable to the facility.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
