Social Worker II

At Houston Methodist the Social Worker II (SW II) position comprehensively provides compassionate clinical social work psychosocial assessments diagnosis and treatments and complex 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 collaboratively facilitate efficient quality care and achievement of desired treatment outcomes and affect positive patient and family outcomes.

This position uses case management skills to help patients and their families address and resolve the social financial and psychological problems related to their health condition.

The SW II position holds joint accountability with case manager assuring that psychosocial and continuing care issues are addressed and treated as needed across the continuum of care and has responsibility for unit or departmental social work program development.

This position serves as a hospitalwide serviceline leader for psychosocial related issues complex discharge planning activities and population disease management.

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Role models communication 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 handoffs.

Supports patients and families in clinical or ethical issues.

Provides staff education specific to patient populations and departmental processes. Functions as a preceptor and mentor to new employees.

Identifies opportunities for professional growth of self and peers.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Serves as a hospital / post acutebased leader for comprehensive case management activities including assessing highrisk patients and leading team to identify atrisk patients participating in daily Care Coordination rounds and identifying and leading resolution to barriers of efficient patient throughput.

Completes a full assessment based on the social work assessment leading and addressing solutions of social determinants which is accomplished by patient / family interview review of the medical record including previous episodes of care H&P lab and other test results / findings plan of care physician orders nursing and progress notes.

Uses advanced knowledge and clinical expertise and screening tools to identify need for case management and / or social work intervention.

Addresses and manages conflict associated with 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.

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

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

Establishes mutual educational goals with patient and family providing appropriate resources incorporating planning for care after discharge.

Provides education to physicians and other interprofessional health care team members on mutually identified goals of care and uses knowledge of levels of care working with patient and family to ensure discharge disposition is the appropriate level and facilitates transfers.

Uses knowledge for different levels of care working with patient and family to ensure discharge disposition is to the appropriate level and facilitates transfers Provides brief goaldirected counseling services to assist patients / families to cope more effectively with the transition.

QUALITY / SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Consistently documents to reflect completed patient screening / assessment and reassessment upon admission and concurrently as needed.

Modifies care based on continuous evaluation of the patients condition demonstrates problemsolving and critical thinking and makes decisions using evidencebased analytical approach.

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

Consistently reviews the total picture of the patient for opportunities for care facilitation and needs for discharge planning.

Works with case manager for routine discharge and anticipates / prevents and manages / elevates 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 by demonstrating an effective community resource knowledge base and judgment / ability to effectively select and coordinate available resources including referrals to regulatory agencies i.e. CPS / APS.
• Identifies obtains and utilizes alternative resources to fill gaps in established community resources.
• Guides discharge planning activities for assigned patients and collaborates with the case managers and other members of the interprofessional health care team as well as patient and family by intervening and coordinating costeffective complex discharge planning outcomes and decreased length of stay.

GROWTH / INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Provides education to hospital physicians nurses and other healthcare providers on community resources and psychosocial impact on care needs.
• Identifies areas for improvement based on understanding of evidencebased practice literature. Completes and updates the individual development plan (IDP) on an ongoing basis.
• Identifies initiates and leads evidencebased practice / performance improvement projects based on observations by offering solutions and participating in unit projects and activities.

This job description is not intended to be allinclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business / job duties as assigned.

Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

Master Degree in Social Work from accredited University (MSW)

WORK EXPERIENCE

Three (3) years social services experience in a healthcare setting

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS REQUIRED

• LCSW License Clinical Social Worker State Licensure No additional credential needed if LCSW OR
• LMSW Licensed Medical Social Worker State Licensure if LMSW need one additional credential AND
• ACMSW Accredited Case ManagerSocial Worker (ACMA) OR
• CCM Certified Case Manager OR
• ACM Accredited Case Manager (NBCM) OR
• ACM Accredited Case Manager (ACMA) OR
• CSWHC Certified Social Worker in Health Care (NASW)

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job determined through ongoing 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 coworkers 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
• Maintains individual competencies around critical Social Work functions including; payor rules and regulations psychosocial assessments and discharge planning methods
• Ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment in interactions with physicians payors and patients and their families
• Well versed in computer skills of the entire Microsoft Office Suite (Access Excel Outlook PowerPoint and Word)
• Critical thinking collaboration negotiation and mediation skills
• Time management and prioritization skills
• Adherence to the clinical practice standards set forth by NASW practice standards for healthcare settings and more specifically in hospitals and medical centers
• 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

ONCALL*

• Note that employees may be required to be oncall 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.

Remote Work :