Medical Social Worker MSW-Hospice

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary

The Hospice Medical Social Worker provides psychosocial assessments, emotional support, counseling, advocacy, and resource coordination to hospice patients and their families. The social worker collaborates with the interdisciplinary group (IDG) to promote patient comfort, dignity, quality of life, and family support throughout the end-of-life process.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Psychosocial Assessment and Care Planning

• Complete comprehensive psychosocial assessments according to Medicare hospice regulations and agency policy.
• Identify emotional, social, financial, cultural, and environmental factors affecting patient care.
• Develop and update individualized psychosocial plans of care.
• Assess caregiver support, coping abilities, safety concerns, and available resources.

2. Patient and Family Support

• Provide emotional support and counseling within professional scope of practice.
• Assist patients and families with anticipatory grief, end-of-life concerns, and adjustment to terminal illness.
• Facilitate discussions regarding advance directives, healthcare decision-making, and funeral planning.
• Identify patients and families requiring additional psychosocial interventions.

3. Interdisciplinary Group Participation

• Attend and actively participate in IDG meetings.
• Provide timely psychosocial updates and recommendations.
• Collaborate with nursing, physicians, chaplains, hospice aides, and other team members.
• Participate in the development, review, and revision of individualized plans of care.

4. Community Resources and Coordination

• Assist families in accessing financial assistance, community services, and other support programs.
• Coordinate referrals for additional psychosocial services.
• Advocate for patient rights, preferences, and goals of care.
• Assist with discharge planning when appropriate.

5. Documentation and Compliance

• Complete timely, accurate, and comprehensive clinical documentation in the electronic medical record.
• Document assessments, interventions, patient and family responses, and progress toward care plan goals.
• Complete IDG documentation according to agency policy.
• Follow Medicare Conditions of Participation, Illinois requirements, HIPAA, and agency policies.
• Report suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, and safety concerns according to applicable law and policy.

6. Bereavement and Crisis Support

• Identify anticipatory grief and bereavement risk factors.
• Collaborate with the bereavement coordinator to support families before and after a patient's death.
• Provide crisis intervention within professional qualifications.
• Refer individuals requiring specialized mental health services to appropriate professionals.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience

Must meet Medicare hospice social worker qualifications under 42 CFR § 418.114(b)(3), including the following:

• Master's degree in Social Work (MSW) from a CSWE-accredited school of social work and at least one year of social work experience in a healthcare setting.

We provide care to patients with a terminal diagnosis of 6 months or less. We provide that care in assisted living facilities and at home.

Company Description

We provide care to patients with a terminal diagnosis of 6 months or less. We provide that care in assisted living facilities and at home.