The Social Worker (LMSW) position is responsible for creating optimal outcomes for the patient and family by managing complex psychosocial and economic co-morbidities. Through advanced practice skills, morbidities resources that reduce risks and serves as ambassador between medical centers and community. This position provides outreach activities, counseling, and engages community resources to assist non-compliant, chronic disease patients, complex patients and uninsured patients to comply with their providers prescribed health regiment. The Social Worker provides crisis interventions and assists patients and families in understanding the implications and complexities of the patient’s medical condition and its impact on lifestyles. The Social Worker position is a critical role and will also serve as a member of health center operations management team.
Formal education required:
- Master’s degree in social work from an accredited program
Experience/skills/ability required (number of years and type, if applicable):
- 5-years’ experience including 2-years’ knowledge and skill in case work methodology
- 2-years’ experience working with children and adolescents
- Knowledge of healthcare and regulations pertinent to responsibilities
- Ability to perform psychosocial assessment risks factor analysis and treatment planning
- Demonstrate interpersonal skills to interact effectively with physicians, other center employees, patients and their family members
- Experience in individual and family counseling in a health care setting
- Experience with Electronic Medical Records (EMR)
- Ability to work with a high level of cultural diversity
- Ability to work as a part of a health care team
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to handle multiple projects with competing priorities
- Flexible to work at all TWPMC medical centers
- Familiar with medical terminology
- Maintain strictest confidentiality
Further formal education which is not required but which may be desirable:
Additional knowledge, skills and abilities which are not required but which may be desirable:
- Experience in a managed care or federally qualified health center (FQHC)
- Experience with the needs of inner-city, low-income populations
- Experience with patient and /or community health care education
- Experience with the availability of and referral to community health care services
- Experience with visiting patients in their homes or in institutions
- Knowledge of healthcare insurances: Medicaid, Medicare, and Managed Care
- Specialized training and/or certification/license:
- Valid Michigan Social Work License
- Valid Michigan driver’s license and access to a vehicle
- Demonstrate working knowledge in the use of personal computers and Microsoft Office Suite
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Interviews patients with problems, such as personal and family adjustments, finances, employment, food, clothing, housing, physical and mental impairment to determine nature and degree of problems
- Interviews others such as relatives, friends, or significant others to obtain information as needed
- Consults with physician and other health care team members to coordinate medical and social service needs
- Develops and implements a care plan based on the patient’s need assessment
- Counsels and aids patients and families requiring assistance of social service agencies
- Helps patient to modify attitudes and patterns of behavior by increasing understanding of self, personal problems, and the patient’s part in creating them. Educates patients on the impact the
- medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, cancer, etc and personal /family situations can have on the patient’s lifestyle
- Ensures continuity of care by periodically evaluating and, as necessary, revising the patient’s social service care plan or program
- Collaborates with homeless shelters
- Maintain current knowledge of changes in available services, delivery of services, governmental changes, and/or mandates, etc and determine best way to maximize patient’s use of services
- Consults and/or collaborates with other health care providers or community resources such as
- alcohol and substance abuse programs, FIA, schools, family service organizations, the judicial
- system and financial assistance organizations, crisis intervention services, as needed
- Serves as a liaison with Voices of Detroit Initiative (VODI) to assist with uninsured/underinsured as well as and other medical center patients
- Assists with Financial Determination as needed
- Provide patient advocacy
- Participate and assist in Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities at the department level Prepare reports regarding outcomes
- Participate and assist in the implementation of performance management process
- Administer and adhere to corporate and departmental policies, practices and procedures
- Support an environment that fosters diversity and recognizes the contributions of all individuals
- Participate and assist in providing a healthy and safe work environment for all employees, taking steps to ensure that their employees are aware of and follow safe working laws, regulations and practice
- Participate and assist in maintaining compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
- Perform other duties as requested.
