Social Worker I

At Houston Methodist the Social Worker I (SWI) position provides comprehensive compassionate clinical socialwork and discharge planning to patients and their families of atargeted patient population on a designated unit(s).

Incollaboration with physicians and the interprofessional health careteam this position sensitizes other health care providers to thesocial and emotional aspects of a patients illness to facilitateefficient quality care and achievement of desired treatmentoutcomes.

The SW I position holds joint accountability with CaseManager for discharge planning and continuity of care assuring thatpsychosocial issues are addressed and treated as needed across thecontinuum of care.

PEOPLE ESSENTIALFUNCTIONS

Communicates in anactive positive and effective manner to all health care teammembers and reports pertinent patient care and family data in acomprehensive and unbiased manner;

listens and responds to theideas of others. Uses therapeutic communication to establish arelationship with patients and families and communicates thedischarge plan facilitating transitions and handoffs.

Supportspatients and families in clinical or ethicalissues.

Uses patient andfamilycentered approach in collaboration with interprofessionalhealth care team. Facilitates discharge planning activities forassigned patients and collaborates with the case manager and othermembers of the interprofessional health care team as well aspatient and family.

Maintains ownership of the psychosocialcomponent assessments diagnosis and treatment of the dischargeplanning process on assignedunits.

SERVICE ESSENTIALFUNCTIONS

• Serves as aunitbased participant for comprehensive case management activitiesincluding assessing patients and collaborating with team toidentify atrisk patients participating in daily Care CoordinationRounds and identifying any barrier(s) of efficient patientthroughput.
• Develops andimplements a comprehensive psychosocial treatment plan utilizingappropriate clinical social work diagnoses treatments andinterventions including crisis intervention brief individualmarital and family therapies and patient family and caregivergroups.

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

Completesa full assessment based on the social work assessment identifyingsocial determinants of health. Completes screening bypatient / family interview review of the medical record includingprevious episodes of care H&P lab and other testresults / findings plan of care physician orders nursing and progressnotes.

Uses clinical knowledge and screening tools to identify needfor case management and / or social workintervention.

• Establishesmutual educational goals with patient and family providesappropriate resources incorporating planning for care afterdischarge.
• Uses knowledgeof levels of care working with patient and family to ensuredischarge disposition is to the appropriate level and facilitatestransfers.

Provides brief goaldirected counseling services toassist patients / families to cope more effectively with thetransition.

QUALITY / SAFETYESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Modifiescare based on continuous evaluation of the patients condition usingproblemsolving and critical thinking and makes decisions usingevidencebased analytical approach.

Documentation reflects completedpatient screening / assessment and reassessment upon admission andconcurrently as needed.

Considers variables that impact treatmentplans including diagnosis of emotional social and environmentalstrengths and problems related to their illness treatment and / orlifesituation.

• Continuouslyreviews the patient for opportunities for care facilitation andneeds for discharge planning. Works with case manager for routinedischarge and anticipates / prevents and manages / elevates emergentsituations with specific focus given to discharge plan andelimination of psychosocialbarriers.
• Collaborateswith staff from the interprofessional health care team concerningsafety data to improve outcomes and the safe transition of carethrough effective patienthandoffs

FINANCE ESSENTIALFUNCTIONS

• Completes timelyand thorough assessment on all unfunded patients to identifycommunity resources required for effective transition and able toutilize alternative resources to fill gaps in established communityresources.
• Establishes aneffective community resource knowledge base and thejudgment / ability to effectively select and coordinate availableresources including referrals to regulatory agencies i.e.CPS / APS.
• Provides timelyefficient pertinent patient information to healthcare team whencoordination with significant or intensive resources is necessaryfor effective discharge planning outcomes and decreased length ofstay.

GROWTH / INNOVATIONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Provides educationto unitbased physicians nurses and other healthcare providers oncommunity resources and psychosocial impact on careneeds.
• Identifies areasfor improvement based on understanding of evidencebased practiceliterature. Assists in evidencebased practice / performanceimprovement projects based on observations by offering solutionsand participating in unit projects andactivities.

This job description isnot intended to be allinclusive; the employee will also performother reasonably related business / job duties as assigned.

HoustonMethodist reserves the right to revise job duties andresponsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

MasterDegree in Social Work

WORKEXPERIENCE

• 0 years ofexperience
• New graduatewith hospital internshippreferred
• One yearhospital social work experiencepreferred

LICENSES ANDCERTIFICATIONS REQUIRED

• LMSWLicensed Medical Social Worker State Licensure or higher license inthe State of Texas OR
• LCSWLicense Clinical Social Worker State Licensure

KNOWLEDGE SKILLSAND ABILITIES

• Demonstratesthe skills and competencies necessary to safely perform theassigned job determined through ongoing skills competencyassessments and performanceevaluations.
• Sufficientproficiency in speaking reading and writing the English languagenecessary to perform the essential functions of this job especiallywith regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety orsecurity.
• Ability toeffectively communicate with patients physicians family members andcoworkers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus andapplication of positive languageprinciples.
• Knowledge ofcommunity resources and health care financial and payer issues andeligibility for state local and federal programs (acquired within 6months ofhire)
• Collaborationnegotiation and mediationskills
• Progressive timemanagement and prioritizationskills
• Demonstratescritical thinking skills at alltimes
• Well versed incomputer skills of the entire Microsoft Office Suite (Access ExcelOutlook PowerPoint andWord)
• Maintains individualcompetencies around critical Social Work functions including payorrules and regulations psychosocial assessments and dischargeplanningmethods.
• Maintains levelof professional contributions as defined in Career Pathprogram

SUPPLEMENTALREQUIREMENTS

WORKATTIRE

• UniformNo
• Scrubs No
• Businessprofessional Yes
• Other (department approved)No

ONCALL*

• Notethat employees may be required to be oncall during emergencies (ie.DIsaster Severe Weather Events etc) regardless of selectionbelow.
• On Call*Yes

TRAVEL

Travelspecifications may vary bydepartment

• May requiretravel within the Houston Metropolitan areaYes
• May require travel outside HoustonMetropolitan areaYes

CompanyProfile :

Houston Methodist CypressHospital scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2025 will beHouston Methodists ninth hospital and will incorporate the mostadvanced technology available from the day the doors open.

With 100beds (at our opening; licensed for 276) and a prime location in theheart of the rapidly growing U.S. 290 corridor the hospital will beequipped with technologically advanced innovations implementedduring COVID many of them designed to make patient communicationwith physicians staff and families the very best and most effectivein any health care facility.

Even though the hospital wont be fullyoperational until 2025 we have several services and specialtiesopening in 2024.

Houston Methodist is an equalopportunity employer inclusive of women minorities disabled personsand veterans.

Equal EmploymentOpportunity

Houston Methodist isan Equal Opportunity Employer.

Equal employmentopportunity is a sound and just concept to which Houston Methodistis firmly bound. Houston Methodist will not engage indiscrimination against or harassment of any person employed orseeking employment with Houston Methodist on the basis of racecolor religion sex sexual orientation gender identity nationalorigin age disability status as a protected veteran or othercharacteristics protected by law.

VEVRAA Federal Contractorpriority referral Protected Veteransrequested.

Remote Work :