Medical Social Worker

Advocate Health

4d • $31 - $46 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Medical Social Worker will conduct complete assessments, establish appropriate plans, and initiate interventions within desired timeframes. They will collaborate and negotiate effectively with patients, families, and the healthcare team to achieve patient and organizational goals regarding care needs, choices, and satisfaction during discharge planning and care transitions. The role involves utilizing patient/family strengths in problem-solving, involving them and the team in decision-making from admission throughout the hospital stay. This position provides social work services including psychosocial assessment, screening, needs evaluation, appropriate interventions, follow-up, and discharge planning. Interventions will be implemented based on assessments, consistent with available resources and payer networks. The Medical Social Worker will participate as part of the multi-disciplinary health care team to develop safe and timely coordination of care, including post-acute placement, palliative/hospice services, medical equipment, home healthcare, outpatient follow-up, mental health resources, and other community resources. They will advocate for patient involvement in the plan of care and coordinate interventions with other team members. Maintaining up-to-date knowledge of healthcare regulations, reimbursement issues, length of stay impacts, and community resources is essential. The role includes completing UM activities, providing clinical updates to payers, collecting data, supporting UM activity, and managing avoidable delays. Delivering CMS regulatory notices within established timeframes is also a responsibility. Effective communication with the healthcare team, partnership with RN Care Managers and unlicensed support personnel, and active participation in MDR are crucial. The Medical Social Worker will work closely with medical staff, hospital departments, and ancillary services to identify and resolve barriers to discharge, expedite care delivery, and implement/report care coordination, discharge planning, and utilization management activities. They will maintain up-to-date knowledge of community resources, legislation, and regulations impacting healthcare delivery, educating patients and families accordingly. Connecting patients to appropriate agencies for suspected abuse/neglect, domestic violence, guardianship, and other social matters is required. Providing resources and education to patients and families regarding appropriate resources and access to community social services is key for timely discharge and appropriate links with post-acute care providers. Support and connection to services such as bereavement, loss, ethical issues, advanced directives, and end-of-life issues will be provided. Collaboration with community agencies and institutions for continued care planning and intervention coordination is expected. The role involves managing the progression of patient stays to optimize Length of Stay (LOS) and ensure appropriateness of assigned Level of Care, and managing patient care across the continuum to decrease unnecessary readmissions. Coordination of patient care within an ACO environment to facilitate patient outcomes through in-network care coordination is required, along with accountability for site-specific designated goal achievement. Participation in the orientation of new staff and/or education of social work students is expected. Education to patients/families regarding Advance Directives for healthcare decision-making and assistance with their execution will be provided. Participation in legal proceedings as necessary to secure legal decision-makers is also part of the role. Maintaining professional standards and responsibilities according to accreditation, hospital, system, state, and NASW Standards and Code of Ethics, and completing all required continuing education to maintain licensure and increase knowledge within the area of practice specialty are essential.

Requirements

• IL-LSW Eligible, LCSW preferred issued by the State of Illinois
• WI-Social Work Certification issued by the State of Wisconsin
• CLT- Masters in Social Work required, LCSW preferred. applicable state Certification is preferred. Adherence to National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics.
• GA- applicable state Certification is preferred. Adherence to National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics
• Master’s degree in social work from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited school.
• Typically requires 2 years of social work experience in healthcare
• Demonstrated knowledge of social work principals and methods and the ability to apply these in a health care setting.
• Demonstrates time management, professional accountability, and documentation skills.
• Demonstrates communication skills and the ability to collaborate within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Demonstrates and acts in accordance with safety principals of an accountable care organization.

Nice To Haves

• LCSW preferred
• applicable state Certification is preferred

Responsibilities

• Conducts complete assessments, establishes appropriate plans, and initiates interventions within desired timeframes.
• Collaborates and negotiates effectively with patient, family, and team while striving to achieve patient and organizational goals with regard to patient’s care needs, choice and satisfaction when discharge planning/transitioning care.
• Utilizes patient/family strengths in the problem-solving process, involving the patient/family and team in the decision-making process beginning on admission and continuing throughout patient’s hospital stay.
• Provides social work services to patients, families, and individuals including psychosocial assessment, screening, determination of needs evaluation, appropriate interventions and follow up, and discharge planning.
• Implements interventions substantiated by assessment as appropriate to the needs of the patient/client system and consistent with available resources and payer network.
• Participates as part of the multi-disciplinary health care team to develop safe and timely coordination of care including but not limited to post-acute placement, palliative/hospice service lines, medical equipment, home healthcare, outpatient follow up, mental health resources, and other community resources.
• Advocates for patient involvement in the plan of care.
• Initiates and coordinates interventions with the activities of other members of the health care team.
• Remains knowledgeable in issues of healthcare regulations, reimbursement issues, impact on length of stay and community resources.
• Completes UM activities as required based on local structure to include providing clinical updates to payers and/or external review organizations, collecting data, coordinating denial activity, supporting UM activity, and managing avoidable delays.
• Delivers CMS regulatory notices within CMS established timeframes, as appropriate based on-site guidelines.
• Communicates effectively with the healthcare team.
• Works in partnership with RN Care Manager and unlicensed support personnel to effectively establish and implement a safe plan of care.
• Serves as an active member of the MDR and works closely with medical staff, hospital departments and ancillary services in identification and resolution of barriers to discharge, expediting care delivery to avoid delays in timely service provision, and implementing and reporting care coordination, discharge planning and utilization management (UM) activities.
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of community resources, legislation, and regulations impacting health care delivery and educating patients and families on these issues as appropriate.
• Connects patients to appropriate agencies on issues of suspected abuse and neglect, domestic violence, guardianship, and other social matters.
• Provides resources to patients and families to ensure a timely discharge and to provide an appropriate link with post-acute care providers and services.
• Provides support and connection to additional services such as bereavement and loss, ethical issues, advanced directives, and end of life issues.
• Collaborates with community agencies and institutions to plan continued care and to coordinate interventions.
• Provides resources and education to patients and families regarding appropriate resources and access to community social services.
• Communicates effectively with patients, family, other members of the health care team and community agencies and facilitates resolution of issues which could impact on continuity of care (e.g., prior-approvals, application requirements, transfer paperwork).
• Documents activity according to department and program protocols or standards.
• Manages the progression of patients stay with the goal of optimizing the LOS and ensuring appropriateness of assigned Level of Care.
• Manages the patient’s care across the continuum to decrease unnecessary readmissions.
• Manages and coordinates patient care within an ACO environment to help facilitate patient outcomes through in network care coordination.
• Accountable for site specific designated goal achievement.
• Participates in the orientation of new staff and/or education of social work students.
• Provides education to patients/families regarding Advance Directives for health care decision-making.
• Assists with execution of these documents as appropriate.
• Participates in legal proceedings as necessary to secure legal decision-makers.
• Maintains professional standards and responsibilities for his/her own professional practice according to accreditation, hospital, system, state and NASW Standards and Code of Ethics.
• Completes all required continuing education to maintain licensure and increase knowledge within area of practice specialty.
• Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served.
• Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the department's policies and procedures.

Benefits

• Comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs
• Competitive compensation
• Generous retirement offerings
• Programs that invest in your career development
• Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training
• Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job
• Incentive pay for select positions
• Opportunity for annual increases based on performance
• Paid Time Off programs
• Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses
• Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave
• Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs
• Educational Assistance Program

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level