Social Worker III

DEFINITION/PRIMARY FUNCTIONS

The Social Worker is responsible for managing the healthcare needs, facilitating and achieving quality and cost outcomes of all patients across the continuum. The Social Worker, utilizing a multidisciplinary team approach, negotiates, procures, coordinates, and monitors services and resources needed by patients. The social worker in conjunction with the interdisciplinary team is responsible for reviewing the patient at admission, and in some instances prior to admission, and concurrently throughout the hospital stay for the appropriate level of care and utilization of resources. The Social Worker will perform transition care planning activities to secure appropriate post hospital care arrangements and will monitor the patient during the course of their hospitalization. The social worker participates with the performance improvement initiatives undertaken by Berkshire Health Systems.

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS (Minimum qualifications are required unless stated otherwise.)

• Experience: Three years of clinical experience in acute care in areas such as internal medicine, surgery, orthopedics, mother/child, cardiology, oncology, psychiatry
• Three years of clinical experience in Rehab Setting, Home Health and Long-Term Care would be considered.
• Ability to perform a comprehensive admission and discharge risk assessment related to quality, financial, payer benefit allowances and limitations, risk management and patient satisfaction.
• Experience specializing in utilization management (levels of care knowledge and demonstrable competence with evidence based criteria tools), discharge planning to entities throughout a continuum of care, previous care management or third party insurance review preferred.

Education and Training

• Masters Social Work

Licenses, Certifications & Registrations

• LCSW - Licensed Certified Social Worker required
• LICSW - MA Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker preferred

Other Requirements

• Current knowledge of CMS (levels of care determinations), appeal rights & DPH regulations required
• Current knowledge of Kepro QIO (appeals) required
• Knowledge of regulatory and accreditation organizations such as Joint Commission, DPH and HealthGrades preferred
• Organizational skills. Proven ability to analyze and present data.
• Computer literacy. Ability to plan, implement, and evaluate change.
• Data management skills preferred
• Proven excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Proven ability to maintain confidentiality
• Proven collaboration and negotiation skills with providers, patients, families, insurance organizations and government agencies
• Proven ability to work independently
• Proven excellent organizational skills
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain relationships with physicians
• Knowledge of local community resources required
• Knowledge of Medicare, Medicaid, third party commercial payers and reimbursement required
• Computer experience required with proven ability to manage multiple open applications
• Skills in data comprehension, research, analysis, interpretation and judgement necessary to prepare a comprehensive summary report for files, management, legal and/or regulatory agencies upon request