Advanced Therapy Social Work Coordinator

Job Description

Job Description

Role OverviewThe Advanced Therapy Social Work Coordinator serves as a dedicated patient and caregiver advocatewithin The Duke Cell and Gene Therapy Center, ensuring that patients can access, navigate, andcomplete their treatment journeys with minimal barriers. This role is responsible for patient screening toidentify social, emotional, financial and environmental barriers to care, end-to-end coordination of non-clinical pre- and post-hospital needs, financial assistance procurement, travel and lodging logistics, andthe maintenance of critical patient records.The role requires deep familiarity with the patient support ecosystem for complex oncology andadvanced therapy programs, including manufacturer-sponsored assistance programs, institutionalresources, and the nuanced care pathways associated with therapies such as CAR-T, bispecificantibodies, gene therapies, and others. The Coordinator serves as a consistent, compassionate point ofcontact for patients, caregivers, and referring providers, ensuring that no patient is prevented fromreceiving a life-changing therapy due to psychological, social, logistical or financial obstacles.This role requires strong organizational discipline, a detail-oriented mindset, and the interpersonalability to deliver white-glove service to patients navigating long and often emotionally and physicallydemanding treatment courses. The ideal candidate brings experience operating independently withincomplex healthcare environments while also collaborating effectively across clinical, operational, andadministrative teams.Key Responsibilities• Provide psychosocial assessment of advanced therapy patients and families to identifyemotional, social, financial, and environmental barriers to care and challenges related to theirdiagnosis, illness, or treatment• Conduct patient screening visits prior to patient cell and gene therapy treatments to understandsocial barriers to care (e.g., compliance, financial barriers, etc.) and support triage• Participate in multi-disciplinary health care teams across cell and gene therapy and provideleadership in representing the clinical social work perspective / liaison with the patient & family• Arrange, procure, and coordinate comprehensive pre- and post-hospital support for patientsand caregivers, including housing, transportation, meals, and other logistical needs that arisethroughout the advanced therapy treatment journey• Support patient application for and coordination of travel and lodging resources availablethrough both Duke Health and individual therapy manufacturers, ensuring patients are aware ofand connected to all available assistance and following up to ensure successful applications• Own and manage manufacturer-specific application processes for reduced-cost or fully coveredtherapies and products, including patient assistance programs, co-pay support, free drugprograms, and related financial resources• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records and statistics related to patient support activity,financial coverage secured, assistance program utilization, and outcomes downstream referralsto psychiatry or other cancer supportive care services• Actively advocate for the identification and expansion of financial resources to increaseadvanced therapy access across patient populations, including engaging with manufacturers,foundations, and institutional stakeholders to develop and expand available support channels• Support creation of required non-product clinical workflows in systems such as Epic, identifyingwhere new products or therapies may need system builds or otherwise to support patient care• Partner closely with the clinical care team, operations, and social work colleagues to align non-clinical coordination efforts with the overall patient care plan• Share insights from patient interactions and program gaps to support internal qualityimprovement and advocacy effortsQualifications • Current licensure as a licensed clinical social work (LCSW) b the NC Social Work Certification andLicensure Board• Adherence to the practice standards and ethical guidelines of NASW and the NC CertificationBoard for Social Work• Masters degree in social work from an accredited school of social work, two years of clinicalsocial work experience post masters' are preferred• 5–7+ years of experience in a non-clinical healthcare coordination function, such as social work,care navigation, patient access coordination, financial counseling, or a related field within ahealth system or specialty care environment• Deep knowledge of patient scheduling, coordination, and support tools, including proficiencywith Epic EHR systems and related patient management platforms• Demonstrated experience with cell and gene therapies or other advanced or complex oncologytreatments, including CAR-T, bispecific antibodies, theranostics, or adjacent care pathways suchas bone marrow transplant• Familiarity with manufacturer patient assistance programs, co-pay support structures, and thefinancial assistance landscape for high-cost specialty therapies• Strong organizational skills and a detail-oriented approach, with the ability to manage multipleconcurrent cases and administrative workflows without compromising service quality• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage compassionately andcredibly with patients, caregivers, referring providers, manufacturer representatives, andinternal clinical teams• Proven ability to excel in an independent, self-directed role that requires proactive problem-solving, strong follow-through, and personal ownership of outcomes for patients• Experience maintaining accurate records, compiling program statistics, and contributing toreporting that informs operational and advocacy decisions Preferred Experience• Experience working within an academic medical center, NCI-designated cancer center, or healthsystem with a dedicated cell and gene therapy or bone marrow transplant program• Direct experience navigating manufacturer hub programs, specialty pharmacy coordination, orintegrated support services for advanced oncology therapies• Background in social work, financial counseling, or case management with exposure to indigentcare, foundations, or government assistance programs as they relate to oncology• Comfortable working cross-functionally with physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, andoperations teams in a fast-paced, high-acuity clinical environment• Prior experience in an early-stage or evolving treatment area within healthcare where buildingnew processes and structures from the ground up is expected