Inpatient Medical Social Worker - Atrium Health Pineville

Advocate Health and Hospitals Corporation•Charlotte, NC

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Inpatient Medical Social Worker provides social work services to patients and families in a hospital setting, including psychosocial assessment, screening, needs evaluation, interventions, follow-up, and discharge planning. The role collaborates with patients, families, the multidisciplinary healthcare team, community agencies, and post-acute providers to coordinate safe, timely care that respects patient needs, choices, and satisfaction. The social worker helps address barriers to discharge, connects patients with community and healthcare resources, supports care transitions, and manages care across the continuum to promote appropriate length of stay and reduce unnecessary readmissions. The position also performs utilization management activities based on local structure, including providing clinical updates to payers or external review organizations, coordinating denial activity, supporting utilization management, managing avoidable delays, and delivering applicable CMS notices within required timeframes. The social worker maintains knowledge of healthcare regulations, reimbursement issues, community resources, and relevant legislation; documents work according to department protocols; and supports patients and families with advance directives and other social, ethical, bereavement, and end-of-life matters. The role may participate in legal proceedings, staff orientation, and social work student education. The position requires a master’s degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited school and typically two years of healthcare social work experience. Licensure or certification requirements vary by applicable state; LCSW is preferred where specified. The position is full time, 40 hours per week, with a Monday–Friday schedule of 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. and occasional weekend coverage. Weekend, holiday, and evening coverage may also be required per site requirements. The work includes exposure to an office and patient-care environment, travel and weather/road conditions, and possible hazardous materials and life-threatening diseases; personal protective equipment must be used as ordered.

Requirements

Master’s degree in social work from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited school.
Typically requires two years of social work experience in healthcare.
Applicable state license, registration, or certification as specified for the role: IL-LSW eligible; Wisconsin Social Work Certification; or applicable state certification where specified.
Adherence to the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics.
Knowledge of social work principles and methods and ability to apply them in a healthcare setting.
Time management, professional accountability, and documentation skills.
Communication skills and ability to collaborate within a multidisciplinary team.
Ability to demonstrate and act in accordance with the safety principles of an accountable care organization.
Knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the ages of patients served, including assessing and interpreting age-specific needs.
Ability to travel and perform the physical activities required, including sitting, standing, speaking, reading, writing, and walking throughout the workday.
Ability to operate all equipment necessary to perform the job and comply with required personal protective equipment practices.

Nice To Haves

LCSW is preferred where specified.
Applicable state certification is preferred where specified.

Responsibilities

Conduct complete assessments, establish appropriate plans, and initiate interventions within desired timeframes.
Collaborate and negotiate with patients, families, and the care team to support care needs, patient choice, satisfaction, discharge planning, and care transitions.
Use patient and family strengths in problem-solving and involve them and the team in decisions from admission through the hospital stay.
Provide psychosocial assessment, screening, needs evaluation, appropriate interventions, follow-up, and discharge planning.
Implement assessment-based interventions appropriate to patient needs and available resources and payer networks.
Coordinate safe and timely care with the multidisciplinary team, including post-acute placement, palliative and hospice services, medical equipment, home healthcare, outpatient follow-up, mental health resources, and community resources.
Advocate for patient involvement in the plan of care and coordinate interventions with other healthcare team members.
Maintain knowledge of healthcare regulations, reimbursement issues, length-of-stay impacts, and community resources.
Perform utilization management activities as required by local structure, including providing clinical updates to payers or external review organizations, collecting data, coordinating denial activity, supporting utilization management, and managing avoidable delays.
Deliver CMS regulatory notices within established timeframes, as applicable to site guidelines.
Work in partnership with the RN Care Manager and unlicensed support personnel to establish and implement safe plans of care.
Participate as an active member of the multidisciplinary team and work with medical staff, hospital departments, and ancillary services to identify and resolve discharge barriers, expedite care, and coordinate discharge planning and utilization management activities.
Educate patients and families about relevant community resources, legislation, regulations, and access to social services.
Connect patients with appropriate agencies regarding suspected abuse or neglect, domestic violence, guardianship, and other social matters.
Provide resources and support for timely discharge, post-acute care connections, bereavement and loss, ethical issues, advance directives, and end-of-life issues.
Collaborate with community agencies and institutions to plan continuing care and coordinate interventions.
Communicate with patients, families, healthcare team members, and community agencies to resolve issues affecting continuity of care, such as prior approvals, application requirements, and transfer paperwork.
Document activity according to department and program protocols or standards.
Manage the progression of the patient’s stay to optimize length of stay and ensure appropriateness of assigned level of care.
Coordinate care across the continuum and within an ACO environment to support outcomes and in-network care coordination and reduce unnecessary readmissions.
Be accountable for site-specific designated goal achievement.
Participate in orientation of new staff and education of social work students.
Educate patients and families about advance directives for healthcare decision-making and assist with execution of documents as appropriate.
Participate in legal proceedings as necessary to secure legal decision-makers.
Maintain professional practice in accordance with accreditation, hospital, system, state, and NASW standards and Code of Ethics.
Complete continuing education required to maintain licensure and develop knowledge in the practice specialty.
Provide care appropriate to patients’ ages and demonstrate knowledge of lifespan growth and development and age-specific patient needs.