Medical Social Worker

Responsibilities

• Assists in evaluating referrals for admission to the home health program.
• Assists in identifying patients who would benefit from services.
• Acts as a resource person to hospital social service departments, nursing personnel, and discharge planners to evaluate referrals as appropriate.
• Assists in investigating the patient’s financial situation as appropriate.
• Assists in identifying patients’ needs and in formulating an initial plan of care for those patients admitted into the Agency’s service.
• Affords social determinants of health assessments.
• Explores available community resources that might be helpful in meeting the patients’ needs.
• Explores available community resources and assists patient in qualifying for eligible programs.
• Assists patients in utilizing any resources that are available to obtain maximum benefit from the program.
• Follows up Adult Protective Services referrals with letters to the Department of Social Services directors.
• Counsels and supports patients.
• Affords patients in utilizing or building support systems.
• Affords patients and their families in dealing with the emotional aspects of their illnesses and conditions.
• Affords assistance to patients in formulating Advance Directives.
• Participates in multi-disciplinary team meetings.
• Reevaluates goals and plans of care and offers suggestions to meet patients’ needs in a better way.
• Affords assistance to health team members with emotional factors related to patients’ health problems.
• Affords suggestions as appropriate to health team members in planning patient care.
• Maintains required medical records.
• Documents observations made, and actions taken in a timely fashion using paper or electronic means.
• Documents patients’ progress or response to care as appropriate using paper or electronic means.
• Keeps physicians informed of patients’ progress.
• Discusses patients with physicians when appropriate to clarify goals and objectives and to clarify the plan of care.

Qualifications

• Holds Master’s degree from school of social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
• Holds LSW or LCSW licensure.
• Holds minimum of one-year experience as a social worker in a hospital, out-patient, nursing home, or home care setting.
• Holds a thorough knowledge of community resources.
• Holds good communication skills.
• Able to deal effectively with stressful situations and a fast-paced environment.