Inpatient Case Manager

North Country Healthcare•Lancaster, NH

About The Position

The Inpatient Medical Social Worker is an integral member of the Inpatient Care Team. They work closely with both inpatient and outpatient team members as well as community partners to assist patients in overcoming barriers as they navigate the healthcare system and manage their health and wellness needs. The Inpatient Medical Social Worker supports patients by assessing needs, developing individualized care plans, and arranging appropriate post-discharge services. Collaborating with the interdisciplinary team, the Inpatient Medical Social Worker ensures that plans of care are effectively executed to promote safe, timely, and appropriate discharges or transitions to the next level of care for Weeks Medical Center patients.

Requirements

High School Diploma
NH Notary preferred
Bachelor’s degree or working towards bachelor’s degree in social work
Basic Life Support (BLS) (for clinical staff), or Heartsaver CPR AED (for nonclinical staff), and renewal on a regular basis, with up to a three-month grace period after the expiration date
Computer literate: knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel)
Knowledge of medical terminology preferred
Compassionate and able to relate to different clients with various needs
Motivational to encourage clients to follow their care plans
Strong verbal and written communication skills to explain to clients, family members, friends, and professionals the case and care plan and maintain good case records
Critical thinking and problem-solving skills to determine the best care plan for each client after assessing clients, analyzing notes from healthcare and social workers
Flexibility to change care plans if they are not getting the best results
Organization to manage several different cases at once
Prior experience in human services preferred
Case management experience in a medical setting or home care environment preferred

Responsibilities

Develop discharge plan on admission that will enable for smooth transition of care
Meet with patients and families regularly for implementation of discharge plan
Meet with other departments as needed for patient care and transition
Work closely with hospitalist and interdepartmental team members to ensure the proper steps are being taken towards the discharge plan for each patient
Document ongoing case management activities in the electronic health record
Coordinate patient care conferences (family meetings) when necessary to ensure all disciplines are working together to gain optimal outcomes for the hospital stay
Send and manage referrals for patients for discharge services including but, not limited to, Home Health/Hospice referrals, transportation, CAP, Meals on Wheels, CCM, and Community Health Workers (CHW)
Assist patients with completion of Advanced Directives
Serve as a point of contact, advocate, and resource for patient, family, care team, payers, and community resources
Promote healthy behaviors in all populations and ensure navigation assistance with community resources
Works closely with care management and staff from other facilities to coordinate transfers both from outside facilities to Weeks and from Weeks to other facilities
Serves as an advocate and informational/educational resource for patients and families
Assesses patients and families unmet needs and refers to other resources as appropriate
Attends meetings as requested i.e. readmission, IDT, and staff meetings
Evaluate patient's medical status to determine specific DME needs (e.g., mobility aids, respiratory equipment) as ordered by physicians