Medical Social Worker II

Kaiser Permanente • Vista, CA

419d • $281,000 - $316,000

About The Position

The Medical Social Worker II plays a crucial role in assisting patients and their families in coping with the social and emotional challenges associated with illness. This position involves delivering age-appropriate social work care, conducting assessments, and coordinating treatment plans while adhering to agency policies and regulations. The Medical Social Worker II is an integral member of the healthcare team, providing support and resources to meet the complex needs of patients in both hospital and clinic settings.

Requirements

• 0 - 2 years social work experience for Step I; 2 - 4 years for Step II; 4 or more years for Step III.
• Masters in Social Work accredited by the Council of Social Work Education.
• Demonstrated ability to work on a multidisciplinary team.
• Solid psychosocial assessment skills.
• Knowledge of chronic and acute diseases and their impact on patient and family functioning.
• Excellent oral/telephone communication skills and written documentation.
• Computer literacy and experience in automated clinical information systems.
• Ability to handle a demanding workload involving multiple tasks effectively and efficiently.
• Ability to function independently as a collaborative team member.
• Ability to master detailed and complex information regarding benefits and coordination of care.

Nice To Haves

• At least one year post-MSW experience in a healthcare setting preferred; MSW internship may be considered in lieu of this requirement.
• LCSW preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provides psychodynamic interventions, crisis intervention, grief/bereavement counseling, and develops healthy coping strategies in individual/family/group settings.
• Responsible for developing and implementing individual Plan of Treatment to assist patients and families in coping with illness-related factors.
• Completes psychosocial assessments and partners with patients to identify needs and develop treatment plans.
• Discusses care options proactively, including Kaiser resources and external community resources.
• Teams with other disciplines to assess, plan, and provide services for patients using biopsychosocial information.
• Assists patients in advocating for themselves to receive appropriate services.
• Helps patients and families with care planning and discharge plans.
• Takes, reviews, evaluates, and prioritizes written and oral referrals.
• Maintains documentation, records, and data collections in a timely manner.
• Functions as part of the Skilled Nursing Facility Team to ensure appropriate placement of Kaiser members.
• Acts as a liaison between patients and Kaiser, maintaining positive relationships and continuity of care.
• Identifies appropriate levels of care and facilities for referred patients.
• Collaborates with internal and external resources to meet agreed-upon goals and objectives.
• Provides information and referral to community resources as requested.
• Coordinates the exchange of information between Kaiser, families, members, and skilled nursing facilities.
• Determines application of Kaiser, Medicare, and Medi-Cal benefits to specific patient situations.
• Participates in Utilization Management/Quality Assurance activities.
• Assists in coordinating communication between regional offices, clinics, hospitals, and field staff.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Industry: Ambulatory Health Care Services
• Education Level: Master's degree