POSITION
DESCRIPTION
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POSITION SUMMARY: The Social Worker
comprehensively plans for care management of targeted patient populations.
Performs resource management, facilitation, and referral to other levels of
care. Works collaboratively with the multidisciplinary care team to
facilitate achievement of desired treatment outcomes. The social worker intervenes with patients who have complex
psychosocial needs, require assistance with eligibility determination for
social programs and funding sources, and qualify for community assistance
from a variety of special funds and agencies.
The social workers serve as patient advocates and counselors, perform
psychological assessments, refer patients and families to medical resources
and provide patient and family assistance in obtaining financial and legal assistance.
In addition, offers crisis
intervention to patients and families with psychosocial needs and
collaborates with the patient care team in the development of care for all
patients including high-risk patient population. The social worker will also participate
in ongoing management of these patients.
Most importantly, a LICSW/LCSW works to assure that the best
interests of the patient are met. Provide healthcare
services consistent with state law and the requirements of the professional
licensing or certification authority and/or hospital privileges, where
applicable. Such service may include,
but are not limited to. |
MINIMUM
QUALIFICATIONS: |
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EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, AND/OR
LICENSURE: |
|
1. |
Masters Social Work. |
2. |
LGSW,
LCSW or LICSW or a temporary Social Work permit and must obtain permanent
licensure within the first six months of employment OR LPC or provisional
licensure certificate. Must have
appropriate licensure for the state of practice. |
PREFERRED
QUALIFICATIONS: |
|
EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, AND/OR
LICENSURE: |
|
1. |
One to three years of experience
preferred. |
2. |
Experience in behavioral health
service line preferred. |
CORE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The statements described here are intended to describe the
general nature of work being performed by people assigned to this
position. They are not intended to be
constructed as an all-inclusive list of all responsibilities and duties. Other duties may be assigned. |
|
1. |
Provide assessment, social service, and crisis intervention to patients
and their families in relation to social, psychological, financial, and
family situations. |
2. |
On the basis of preliminary risk screening, assesses patients and
family’s psychosocial risk factors through evaluation of prior functioning
levels, appropriateness and adequacy of support systems, reaction to illness,
and ability to cope. The social worker will also be expected to participate
in the ongoing management of those patients’ needs as deemed
appropriate. LICSW/LCSWs advise and counsel patients and their families. They
explain the nature of an illness and guide the patient and family on how to
effectively deal with symptoms, treatment and their ongoing management. |
3. |
Documents interventions according to departmental policies and
procedure related to the interactions with patients and families emotional,
social, and financial consequences of illness and/or disability; access and
mobilizes family/community resources to meet identified needs. |
4. |
Serves as a resource person and provides counseling and intervention
related to treatment decision and end-of-life issues. |
5. |
Serves as a grief counselor to help patients and
families deal with the trauma of experiencing a chronic or acute illness. |
6. |
The LICSW/LCSW will have the ability to
interchange roles with the other LICSW/LCSWs in the ambulatory setting as
necessary and maintain an appropriate social service coverage schedule as
needed. |
7. |
Collaborates with all members of the Multidisciplinary Team in
specialty clinics such as: Behavioral
Health, Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH), ALS Multidisciplinary clinic,
Hepatitis C clinic, diabetes clinic, and Huntington’s disease clinic.
Monitors the patient’s progress, intervening as necessary and appropriate to
ensure that the plan of care and services provided are patient focused, high
quality, efficient, and cost effective. |
8. |
Provide education as needed to staff, physicians, and patients for
transitional planning needs.
|
9. |
Meets directly with patient/family to assess needs and develop an
individualized care plan in collaboration with physician, and continues to
monitor ongoing management of that patient/family. |
10. |
Communicates with community health, social
agencies, and the patient care team regarding patients with complex family
dynamics that directly impact patient care. |
11. |
Provides consultation to inpatient care managers and social workers
when coordinating appropriate community resources to meet continuing care
needs. |
12. |
Provides consultation with other ambulatory social workers when needed
to provide the most appropriate patient care and offer the best resources
for. |
13. |
Seeks consultation from appropriate
disciplines/departments as required to expedite care. |
14. |
Initiates and facilities referrals to transitional
services which may include but are not limited to home health care, hospice,
medical equipment and supplies. |
15. |
Initiates the referral for post-acute service or facility and documents
in electronic medical record. |
16. |
Communicates all necessary information regarding
arranged services, placement and transportation needed to healthcare team,
patients, and families. |
17. |
Validates discharge criteria for patient and
families and notifies care team of newly identified resources or change in
previously identified resources. |
18. |
Working knowledge of the patient’s current medical
insurance coverage and the pre-certification requirements for Durable Medical
Equipment (DME), placement, infusions, transfers, etc,
and negotiate with individual payor, state, local,
and federal agencies to optimize the appropriate placement of patients. |
19. |
Communicates, completes, and sends the required forms to the
appropriate facility for the potential placement of patients. |
20. |
The LICSW/LCSW acts as an intermediary between patients and the medical
community. They are the voice for people who have communication barriers or
cultural differences that make effective communication challenging. |
21. |
Coordinates interpretive services for patients with
language needs in the clinical setting. The LICSW/LCSW manages the
interpretive report in EPIC for hearing impaired patients. The LICSW/LCSW
will ensure proper interpretive services are scheduled including
communicating with live sign language interpreters in the community to
schedule sign language services. |
22. |
The LICSW/LCSW will serve as liaison for the Video
Relay System for outpatient clinics. |
23. |
Educates clinic staff on Video Relay System and troubleshoots the
interpretive technology when needed. |
24. |
Documents relevant information in the medical
record according to Department standards. |
25. |
Serves as a consultant for processing medical power of attorney, health
care surrogate, and advanced directives. |
26. |
Provides intervention in child abuse/neglect, domestic violence,
guardianship (temporary/permanent), foster care, adoption, mental health
placement, advance directives, adult/elderly abuse, child protection, and
sexual assault. |
27. |
Communicates with Resource Center and /or third
party payors on issues on a case-by-case basis and
with clinical staff (i.e. Peer to Peer) and follows up to resolve problems
with payors as needed. |
28. |
Collaborate for appropriate resource and financial
management which may include, but is not limited to financial assistance
coordination/referrals, entitlement program coordination/referrals, patient
benefit coordination, assessment of working DRG and/or collaboration with
Clinical Documentation Management Program, assessment for appropriate usage
of Health Care Resources/clinical cost efficiency. |
29. |
Educates hospital staff and physicians to the payor regulations to prevent denials. |
30. |
Uses data to drive decisions and plan/implement performance improvement
strategies related to assigned patients, including fiscal, clinical and
patient satisfaction data. |
31. |
Collects delay for services and other data for
specific performance and/or outcome indicators as determined by department. |
32. |
Participates in development, implementation, evaluation and revision of
clinical pathways and serves as a member of the clinical resource/team,
including participation of staff interviews/screening for hire. |
33. |
Educate the multidisciplinary team and providers about clinical
pathways/protocols and managed care principles. |
34. |
Participate in the development of clinical pathways, best practice
standard development, competency process, as well as participate in Joint
Commission Standard Compliance, Federal/State/Local Regulatory Agency
compliance, Core Measure Utilization/compliance, Patient Safety Compliance,
Quality improvement initiatives. |
35. |
Identifies at-risk populations using approved
screening tool and follows established reporting procedures. |
36. |
Other
duties/projects as assigned. |
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The physical demands described here are representative of
those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential
functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable
individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. |
|
1. |
Heavy/Hard
Work: Work requires strength and/or
stamina, lifting, moving, stooping, reaching, positioning of patients,
standing, walking, and carrying of patients, materials and equipment weighing
40+ pounds. |
WORKING ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are
representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential
functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable
individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. |
|
1. |
Adheres to the established Performance Expectations for WVUH Employees
in the areas of People, Service, Performance Improvement, and Shared Values
& Culture. |
2. |
Working
closely with others. |
3. |
Protracted
or irregular hours. |
4. |
Working
around biohazards. |
5. |
Working
around infectious diseases. |
6. |
Working
with or near the deceased. |
7. |
Working
with hands in water. |
8. |
Electrical
hazards associated with patient care equipment. |
SKILLS AND ABILITIES: |
|
1. |
Possesses excellent interpersonal
communication and negotiation skills in interactions with patients, families,
physicians, and health care team colleagues. |
2.
|
Ability to work with people of all social,
economic, and cultural backgrounds and be flexible, open minded, and
adaptable to change. |
3. |
Capable
of independent judgment and action regarding psychosocial needs of patients. |
Date Reviewed/Revised: August 2020 |