Medical Social Worker (LMSW)

REGIONAL ONE HEALTH•Memphis, TN

About The Position

The Medical Social Worker (LMSW) provides medical social work services, psychosocial assessment, and counseling for patients and families in close conjunction with physicians and other health care team members. The role assesses patient and family needs, determines priorities for intervention, provides specialized services, supports coping, and coordinates referrals and discharge planning while respecting the patient's right to self-determination. The Medical Social Worker identifies high-risk patients, including those admitted from nursing homes or other institutions, and coordinates early discharge planning. The role supports patients and families through counseling and crisis intervention, connects them with appropriate community services, and helps arrange services and resources such as durable medical equipment, outpatient therapy, home care, nursing home care, dialysis, and transportation. The position collaborates with multidisciplinary teams and community agencies, documents assessments and plans, maintains patient information and required records, and prepares quarterly Quality Council reports. The employee maintains confidentiality, keeps professional knowledge current through continuing education, and participates in staff training, orientation, and performance improvement activities.

Requirements

Master's degree in Social Work from an accredited college or university.
Qualified by education, training, or experience to work with adolescent, adult, and/or geriatric patients as dictated by the specialty assignment.
LMSW state licensure in Tennessee required upon hire.

Nice To Haves

At least one year of social work experience.

Responsibilities

Collect information from patients, families, community agencies, and professional disciplines for social work assessments, and make referrals for further psychosocial assessment as appropriate.
Determine priorities for social work intervention, including discharge planning and the patient's right of self-determination.
Determine differential treatment needs and provide services based on assessment findings.
Document assessments, recommendations, and professional judgment within 24 business hours of referral.
Identify patients admitted from nursing homes or other institutions and initiate discharge planning upon admission.
Coordinate with assigned areas to begin discharge planning early in the hospitalization.
Communicate with community service providers to identify high-risk patients and families who may need social work services.
Provide supportive counseling and crisis intervention to patients, families, and staff.
Use support groups to help patients and families discuss and normalize reactions to illness.
Assess needs for more intensive psychotherapy and make appropriate referrals.
Provide patients and families with information about available services and their costs.
Complete social work assessments and plans that document patient and family understanding and input.
Communicate discharge plans to appropriate staff and schedule multidisciplinary conferences for patients and families with complex needs or arrangements.
Initiate direct referrals to agencies when doing so will improve service to patients or families.
Help patients obtain services and resources, including durable medical equipment, outpatient therapy, hearing or optical appliances, nursing home care, home care, and dialysis; obtain or complete required documentation.
Serve as a resource to the multidisciplinary team regarding community resources.
Help coordinate transportation arrangements for patients transferring from the hospital who have special transportation needs.
Maintain effective relationships with collateral agencies and include them in multidisciplinary conferences when beneficial to patient care.
Collaborate with health care team members to identify and plan for patient and family needs, coordinate and implement services, obtain information, answer inquiries, and resolve patient care problems.
Enter, retrieve, and update medical and patient information using computer systems, and generate statistics, computations, tables, charts, or graphs as required.
Provide clear, concise, timely written documentation and maintain computer data as required.
Present quarterly Quality Council reports containing findings, analysis, and recommendations.
Maintain confidentiality in accordance with hospital, HIPAA, compliance, and other regulatory requirements.
Prepare and maintain operational, administrative, and compliance reports, records, and files within established timeframes.
Maintain professional credentials and current knowledge of social work principles, techniques, best practices, and trends through continuing education and staff development.
Participate in staff training and performance improvement activities, and use quality-of-care results to initiate changes in practice.
Participate in orientation of medical staff, residents, and students to promote understanding of hospital policies and procedures.