Hospital Social Worker

Overview Join Memorial Health and make a real difference in the lives of patients and their families. As a Hospital Social Worker (LSW) with an MSW degree, you'll play a critical role in addressing complex psychosocial factors that affect health outcomes, contributing to holistic, patient-centered care. Salary USD $29.44/hour – maximum USD $45.64/hour. Location & Shift Location: Onsite in Springfield, IL. Shift: 7:30 am – 4:00 pm Mon – Fri and Saturday on call rotation. Key Responsibilities Conduct comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments to inform healthcare decisions. Address social determinants of health to prevent readmissions and adverse outcomes. Develop interventions that consider the full psychosocial impact of illness or hospitalization. Collaborate with the healthcare team to remove barriers to post-acute care. Facilitate timely referrals to community resources and promote patient self‑reliance. Prevent unnecessary hospital admissions by addressing social needs and avoiding "social admissions." Qualifications Master’s degree of Social Work from a School of Social Work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Licensure Illinois Licensed Social Worker required within six months of hire date. Experience Experience working with adults across the lifespan presenting with chronic or serious illness. Experience identifying and coordinating the needs of chronically ill patients and families as well as supporting the care team. Understanding of psychosocial implications of illness, hospice and/or home care death and dying issues. Knowledge of local community resources. Knowledge and understanding of individual development and human behavior as it relates to the effects of illness and of the influence of culture on healthcare. Detailed Responsibilities Embodies the Memorial Health System Performance Excellence Standards: Safety – Prevent Harm: I will put safety first in everything I do and speak up, without fear, on matters of patient and colleague safety. I will take action to create an environment of zero harm. Quality – Improve Outcomes: I will continually advance my knowledge and skills, seek out continuous improvement opportunities, and deliver evidence-based care that leads to excellence in outcomes. Integrity – Show respect and Compassion: I will respect others and show compassion, behave honestly and ethically, and be accountable for my attitude, actions and health. Stewardship – Reduce Waste: I will use resources wisely, maintain financial stability, coordinate care and services across the health system, and promote healthier communities. Biopsychosocial Assessment: Utilizing specialized knowledge and experience, make assessment of patients’ psychosocial needs, home situation and economic constraints. Community Resources: Serve as liaison between patients/families and community agencies, coordinate information and referrals for financial and community resources to link patients/families to the appropriate resources. Provide resource to clinical team, patients and families regarding entitlement to programs and support services; develop strong working relationships with internal and external healthcare organizations and community resources. Work with patients to formulate an individualized plan to obtain medication, particularly in light of Medicare coverage limitations including facilitation of enrollment in various drug companies’ patient assistance programs when warranted. Care Delivery: Work closely and collaboratively with the clinical care team across sites of care; assist the team with care delivery by scheduling appointments, assisting with the completion of forms, ensuring that patients can access services, and arranging transportation to and from medical appointments as needed. Participate in clinic office visits, team rounds, or family conferences as needed based on site of care. Care Transitions: Coordinate patient care with other disciplines involved in the plan of care and maintain appropriate documentation; confer with the patient, family, and clinical team to obtain information to coordinate efficient and quality patient care. Build relationships with primary care providers, skilled nursing facilities, and the community to promote continuity of care. Support: Provide crisis intervention and supportive counseling for patients and their families as needed; serve as patient advocate, assisting with navigation of patient eligible resources and programs; provide support and information to overcome personal and environmental difficulties that predispose toward illness or interfere with obtaining maximum benefits from medical care; assist patients to effectively utilize available resources; evaluate patients’ ability to independently manage self and locate alternative resources when limitations are identified. Advance Care Planning: Maintains a working knowledge of relevant medical/legal issues that impact patient care, e.g., advance directives, power of attorney, and guardianships. Counseling: When requested, provide group, individual, and family counseling to patients and their families as requested. Discharge Planning: Initiate discharge planning and care coordination for patients as appropriate; record documentation for all social work activities in the electronic medical record in a timely and thorough manner. Adhere to department productivity standards; participate in the monitoring of quality and utilization metrics and participate in improvement efforts to refine the delivery of care to maximize clinical, quality, and fiscal outcomes. Assist, as needed, in the staff training, new employee orientation, student education, community education, in‑house activities, and general public relations activities; refer to ancillary teams when warranted; be aware of and comply with department and hospital policy and procedures; demonstrate knowledge of care for older adults through accurate assessments, treatment, and effective implementation of interventions; adhere to the NASW Code of Ethics; participate in continuing education and in‑service training to support professional growth and expertise; enter orders in preparation for authentication/signature by physician; perform other related duties as assigned. #J-18808-Ljbffr