Social Work Case Manager

The University of Kansas Health System•Kansas City, KS

About The Position

The Inpatient Social Work Case Manager provides safe and efficient services to patients of all ages and their families. The role collaborates with the healthcare team to coordinate post-hospitalization services and discharge planning. Responsibilities include psychosocial assessment and planning for needs such as home care, nursing home placement, durable medical equipment, financial assistance, counseling, and community resources. The case manager ensures appropriate decision makers are informed and involved in treatment planning and applies relevant state and federal discharge-planning and reporting requirements. The position also identifies and reports quality and performance improvement opportunities and participates in improvement activities. The case manager works with patients, families, caregivers, allied professionals, and the RN Case Manager to develop realistic, patient-centered plans, advocate for access to services and protection of patient rights, provide supportive counseling, and help ensure safe and timely discharge. The role includes documenting psychosocial needs and discharge planning in the medical record, participating in interdisciplinary meetings and daily care coordination huddles, contributing to professional development and training, and providing coverage and support to other services as needed.

Requirements

High school graduate.
Master of Social Work (MSW).
Current licensure as either a Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker (LSCSW) or Licensed Masters Social Worker (LMSW) through the State Board of Behavioral Sciences.
Ability to perform the professional, clinical, or technical competencies of the assigned unit or department.
Maintain current licensure and practice within scope.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a health care setting.

Responsibilities

Complete psychosocial assessments of patients and families, including social, psychological, emotional, financial, and related factors.
Assess relevant medical, nursing, social-work, and community-resource information to determine appropriate social-service actions and discharge plans.
Use social-work assessments and input from other team members to formulate realistic action and discharge plans.
Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings and initiate or participate in family conferences about psychosocial and discharge-planning needs.
Facilitate and participate in daily Interdisciplinary Care Coordination (ICC) Huddles, managing the meeting and sharing relevant discipline-specific information.
Advocate for patients and caregivers to identify and access services and protect patients’ health, safety, rights, and choices.
Provide supportive counseling to help patients and families adjust to illness or disability and plan realistically for post-hospital care.
Document psychosocial needs and discharge-planning activity in the patient’s medical record, including assessments, contacts, action plans, conferences, and responses to orders within 24 working hours.
Partner with the RN Case Manager to support timely discharge and work with third-party payors using established procedures and appropriate resources.
Apply relevant state and federal discharge-planning and reporting requirements.
Identify, monitor, and report quality and performance improvement opportunities and participate in related activities.
Follow applicable policies, procedures, standards, and the Corporate Compliance program; manage risk and safety issues within the position’s scope.
Maintain current licensure and knowledge and competence relevant to the position.
Participate in professional development, department meetings, hospital task forces, and committees; pursue educational opportunities and seek clinical supervision when needed.
Act as a preceptor and assist in training new team members.
Work flexibly and collaboratively with case-management staff, assist peers during fluctuating census, and provide coverage to other services as requested or needed.
Take call as required by department expectations.
Use resources prudently and balance cost and quality to support optimal clinical and financial outcomes.