Medical Social Worker II

About Bristol Health

We are dedicated to providing compassionate, quality care at all times and upholding our values of Communication, Accountability, Respect, and Empathy (C.A.R.E.). Our commitment to excellence has earned us Magnet designation and the 2020 Press Ganey Leading Innovator award for rapid adoption and implementation of healthcare solutions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Job Summary:

Under the direction of the Social Work Director or Operations Manager of Home Care Services, this role provides services to patients and families to enhance functioning and address psychosocial problems that interfere with recovery from illness or prevent a healthy lifestyle. Consultation is provided to other healthcare providers to help them deal with psychosocial problems interfering with compliance with treatment regimens. Participation in community activities ensures resource availability for patients/families.

Key Responsibilities:

• Utilize social work skills to identify high-risk patients with various psychosocial problems that may inhibit patient recovery or well-being.
• Evaluate data, assessment, identify strengths and weaknesses, and problem areas regarding treatment plans and keep the healthcare team informed.
• Make appropriate interventions to enable patients/families to cope with problems, including but not limited to grieving over loss of limb or body part, adjustments necessitating changes in lifestyle due to sudden and/or chronic illness, guilt of adult child placing aged parents in ECF, abandonment feelings of patient being placed, financial burdens, etc.
• Involves patients/families in understanding alternatives and planning and deciding about post-hospitalization care and facilitating their adjustment to and motivation for participating in the plan.
• Advocates on behalf of patients/families for recognition of their individual needs and necessary services to address needs.
• Provide crisis intervention services for patients undergoing emotional, social distress.
• Coordinates discharge planning needs and policies.
• Identifies and responds to patients in need of discharge planning within 24 working hours of referral.
• Completes psychosocial and environmental assessment including key social supports available, patient situation, and strengths and weaknesses.
• Provides counseling to patients/families to enable adaptation to the impact of illness.
• Involves patients/family in all aspects and decisions in discharge planning process.
• Carries out case management services to assure appropriate linkage and coordination with patient/family and available hospital departments, agencies, services, and facilities on a timely basis.
• Interprets entitlement program policies, criteria, and limitations to others involved in planning.
• Loses the least restrictive post-hospital environment based on assessment of patient's needs, capabilities, and preferences.
• Provides technical assistance, completion of ECF or Title XIX applications, etc., to facilitate discharge plan.
• Initiates, attends, and participates in interdisciplinary case conferences.
• Facilitates patient transitions to new environments, helping patients/families cope emotionally and assuring necessary information and coordination of transportation, etc.
• Adheres to hospital policy and regulatory requirements that impact on planning.
• Provides assistance in resource utilization.
• Provides accurate information on resource availability and criteria for utilization. Seeks out resources when availability is not known and shares information with other department members.
• Explores entitlement program eligibility with patients/families. Matches resources to needs. Identifies and utilizes informal support networks. Identifies and communicates gaps in resources.
• Develops and maintains liaisons with local, state, and federal resources. Notifies/reports statute-mandated situations to appropriate agencies. Provides consultation, cooperation, and assistance to outside agencies and staff serving mutual clients.
• Renders community social work services.
• Complies with agency policies and procedures in preparing psychosocial assessments, identifying problem areas, establishing Social Work plans of care, and goals.
• Utilizes social work skills in provision of medical social work.
• Responds to referrals promptly.
• Coordinates with other providers.
• Completes necessary reports/billing on a timely basis.
• Maintains appropriate documentation.
• Documents timely, concise, accurate, and pertinent information in patient records per department policy.
• Maintains and submits monthly reports and statistics and quality assurance data on a timely basis.
• Keeps case files accurate and up-to-date.
• Provides for own professional growth and development.
• Self-identifies areas for training and development.
• Attends relevant and required workshops, training programs, in-services.
• Seeks out opportunities for learning and skill development independently.
• Participates in departmental in-services by identifying topics for presentations; being responsible for presentations.
• Functions as an effective member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Ensures interdisciplinary team is kept informed of patient and family treatment issues and progress through team meetings, documentation, and related conferences.
• Uses positive communication and negotiation skills in communicating with other members of the interdisciplinary team as reflected in satisfactory feedback.
• Represents social work role and perspective in the interdisciplinary team and community as indicated by formulated goals being incorporated throughout the treatment plan.
• Contributes to the efficient operation of the Department.
• Prioritizes schedules and assigns tasks to ensure issues are handled first and work is completed.
• Demonstrates effective time management by completing commitments within agreed timeframes.
• Maintains documentation and records according to established procedures and timeframes.
• Completes administrative statistical reports and projects within requested timeframes.
• Demonstrates dependability in job performance by keeping the office informed of schedules and by completing time sheets as required.
• Demonstrates respect for patients and colleagues by being punctual at scheduled clinical appointments and administrative meetings.
• Demonstrates initiative through autonomous efforts/projects.
• Spend a minimum of 70% of scheduled work time in direct patient care.
• Education/Minimum Requirements:
  • MSW - Two-three years in healthcare settings.
  • State/Federal Mandated Licensure or Certification Requirements:
  • LCSW eligible.
  • Bristol Hospital Mandated Educational Requirements:
  • General orientation at time of hire. Fire/Safety/Infection Control annually. Other programs as mandated by Hospital. Clinically relevant educational programs as appropriate; all other mandated programs as they occur.
  • Special Requirements:
  • Acute care hospital experience strongly preferred for inpatient Medical Social Worker. Knowledge of entitlement and pre-admission screening programs preferred. Knowledge of DSM-IV, excellent written and verbal communication, knowledge of community resources, social work theory, and practice. High degree of empathy/sensitivity, patience, and stress tolerance. Demonstrated casework skills.
  • For Home Care Agency: Must have a car to drive to home visits and a valid Connecticut driver's license in good standing; $100,000-$300,000 automobile liability insurance.
  • Home Care experience preferred for Home Care Medical Social Worker.
  • Physical Requirements:
  • Position requires ability to frequently lift light objects, perform moderately difficult manipulative and hand-eye coordination skills; walk, stand, and sit for prolonged periods; see objects closely and hear normal sounds with some background noises.
  • Deals with emotionally stressed patients, families, and other healthcare providers in pressured crisis situations. Makes independent decisions in confusing situations.
  • Work Environment:
  • Inpatient Areas: Works in areas throughout hospital including but not limited to nursing floors, patient rooms, Emergency Department, clinics, and less frequently in patient homes. Environment is often stressful including frequent exposure to background noise, a variety of people, telephone contact. Shares office space with others. Has high-level contact with all levels of customers. May have contact with highly emotional or out-of-control patient/families. Home Care Agency: Work in patient's homes; exposed to a variety of elements in home setting.
  • Cognitive Requirements:
  • Position requires ability to concentrate on fine detail with interruption and attend to tasks for more than 60 minutes at a time. Individual must be able to understand and relate to theories behind several related concepts and remember multiple tasks given over long periods of time. Excellent written and oral communication skills in English. Excellent listening skills and understanding of ethnic and cultural differences.
  • Disclaimer:
  • The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.