Social Worker I (Hiring Immediately)

At Houston Methodist, the Social Worker I (SW I) position provides

comprehensive, compassionate, clinical social work and discharge planning to

patients and their families of a targeted patient population on a designated

unit(s). In collaboration with physicians and the interprofessional health

care team, this position sensitizes other health care providers to the social

and emotional aspects of a patients illness to facilitate efficient, quality

care and achievement of desired treatment outcomes. The SW I position holds

joint accountability with Case Manager for discharge planning and continuity

of care, assuring that psychosocial issues are addressed and treated as needed

across the continuum of care.

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Communicates in an active, positive and effective manner to all health care team members and reports pertinent patient care and family data in a comprehensive and unbiased manner;

listens and responds to the ideas of others. Uses therapeutic communication to establish a relationship with patients and families and communicates the discharge plan, facilitating transitions and hand-offs.

Supports patients and families in clinical or ethical issues.

Uses patient and family-centered approach in collaboration with interprofessional health care team. Facilitates discharge planning activities for assigned patients and collaborates with the case manager and other members of the interprofessional health care team, as well as patient and family.

Maintains ownership of the psychosocial component, assessments, diagnosis and treatment, of the discharge planning process on assigned units.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Serves as a unit-based participant for comprehensive case management activities including assessing patients and collaborating with team to identify at-risk patients, participating in daily Care Coordination Rounds, and identifying any barrier(s) of efficient patient throughput.
• Develops and implements a comprehensive psychosocial treatment plan utilizing appropriate clinical social work diagnoses, treatments and interventions, including crisis intervention, brief individual, marital and family therapies, and patient, family and caregiver groups.

Assists with screening, identification, diagnosis, management and treatment of victims of abuse, neglect, and domestic violence and of mental health andor substance abuse problems in patients and family members.

Completes a full assessment based on the social work assessment, identifying social determinants of health. Completes screening by patientfamily interview, review of the medical record including previous episodes of care, H&P;

lab and other test resultsfindings, plan of care, physician orders, nursing and progress notes. Uses clinical knowledge and screening tools to identify need for case management andor social work intervention.

• Establishes mutual educational goals with patient and family, provides appropriate resources, incorporating planning for care after discharge.
• Uses knowledge of levels of care, working with patient and family, to ensure discharge disposition is to the appropriate level and facilitates transfers.

Provides brief, goal-directed counseling services to assist patientsfamilies to cope more effectively with the transition.

QUALITYSAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Modifies care based on continuous evaluation of the patients condition, using problem-solving and critical thinking, and makes decisions using evidence-based analytical approach.

Documentation reflects completed patient screeningassessment and reassessment upon admission and concurrently, as needed.

Considers variables that impact treatment plans including diagnosis of emotional, social, and environmental strengths and problems related to their illness, treatment andor life situation.

• Continuously reviews the patient for opportunities for care facilitation and needs for discharge planning. Works with case manager for routine discharge and anticipatesprevents and manageselevates emergent situations with specific focus given to discharge plan and elimination of psychosocial barriers.
• Collaborates with staff from the interprofessional health care team concerning safety data to improve outcomes and the safe transition of care through effective patient handoffs

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Completes timely and thorough assessment on all unfunded patients to identify community resources required for effective transition and able to utilize alternative resources to fill gaps in established community resources.
• Establishes an effective community resource knowledge base and the judgmentability to effectively select and coordinate available resources, including referrals to regulatory agencies, i.e. CPSAPS.
• Provides timely, efficient pertinent patient information to healthcare team when coordination with significant or intensive resources is necessary for effective discharge planning outcomes and decreased length of stay.

GROWTHINNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Provides education to unit-based physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers on community resources and psychosocial impact on care needs.
• Identifies areas for improvement based on understanding of evidence-based practice literature. Assists in evidence-based practiceperformance improvement projects based on observations by offering solutions and participating in unit projects and activities.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will

also perform other reasonably related businessjob duties as assigned. Houston

Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the

need arises.

EDUCATION

Master Degree in Social Work

WORK EXPERIENCE

• 0 years of experience
• New graduate with hospital internship preferred
• One year hospital social work experience preferred

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• LMSW - Licensed Medical Social Worker - State Licensure or higher license in the State of Texas OR
• LCSW- License Clinical Social Worker - State Licensure

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations.
• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security.
• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles.
• Knowledge of community resources and health care financial and payer issues, and eligibility for state, local and federal programs (acquired within 6 months of hire)
• Collaboration, negotiation, and mediation skills
• Progressive time management and prioritization skills
• Demonstrates critical thinking skills at all times
• Well versed in computer skills of the entire Microsoft Office Suite (Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word)
• Maintains individual competencies around critical Social Work functions including payor rules and regulations, psycho-social assessments and discharge planning methods.
• Maintains level of professional contributions as defined in Career Path program

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs No
• Business professional Yes
• Other (department approved) No

ON-CALL

Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie.

DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

On Call* Yes

TRAVEL

Travel specifications may vary by department

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area Yes

Company Profile :

Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital, scheduled to open in the first quarter of

2025, will be Houston Methodists ninth hospital and will incorporate the most

advanced technology available from the day the doors open. With 100 beds (at

our opening; licensed for 276) and a prime location in the heart of the

rapidly growing U.S. 290 corridor, the hospital will be equipped with

technologically advanced innovations implemented during COVID, many of them

designed to make patient communication with physicians, staff and families the

very best and most effective in any health care facility. Even though the

hospital wont be fully operational until 2025, we have several services and

specialties opening in 2024.

Houston Methodist is an equal opportunity employer inclusive of women,

minorities, disabled persons and veterans.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Equal employment opportunity is a sound and just concept to which Houston

Methodist is firmly bound. Houston Methodist will not engage in discrimination

against or harassment of any person employed or seeking employment with

Houston Methodist on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual

orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, status as a

protected veteran or other characteristics protected by law. VEVRAA Federal

Contractor priority referral Protected Veterans requested.