Job Summary

The primary responsibilities for the Social Worker within the Care Management team include providing social work services to patients receiving care primarily in the primary care setting. In collaboration with Primary Care Physician, members of the health care team, the patient and their caregivers/families, the Social Worker will assess the social, psychological, cultural, environmental and financial factors unique to the individual. From this assessment, the Social Worker will assist in the development and implementation of a plan to address non-medical factors identified as having an impact on the patient's ability to achieve goals for optimal health. The Social Worker will evaluate effectiveness of plan and work with patients and caregivers/families to implement changes were needed. The Social Worker will use crisis intervention techniques, problem solving models, community organization and patient advocacy skills in identifying needs and resources within the community.
 

Minimum Job Qualifications

• Licensure or other certifications:

• Educational Requirements: Masters Degree in Social Work from an accredited School of Social Work. 

• Minimum Experience: One (1) to three (3) years' experience in a hospital, agency or institution providing related health care services.

• Other:

Preferred Job Qualifications

• Preferred Licensure or other certifications:

• Preferred Educational Requirements:

• Preferred Experience:

• Other:

NGHS Core Competencies

1. I Show Vulnerability when I:

• trust others and assume positive intent.

• am emotionally accessible and transparent without hidden agendas.

• acknowledge weaknesses and accept responsibility for mistakes.

• am comfortable saying “I don’t know” and asking for help.

• seek and accept feedback in a non-defensive manner.

• forgive others and give the benefit of the doubt.

2. I Display Empathy when I:

• seek to know others on a deeper level.

• work to ensure others feel included.

• accept others for who they are without judgment.

• show concern for the well-being and challenges of others.

• consider the human impact before making decisions.

3. I Demonstrate Courage when I:

• do not hold back on anything that needs to be said.

• do the right thing even when that is difficult.

• speak my own truth, even when that means standing alone.

• address potential conflict quickly and directly.

• commit to seeing a difficult conversation through to the end.

4. I Demonstrate Radical Listening when I:

• seek to understand the other person’s viewpoint first, before expressing my own viewpoint.

• listen for the unsaid.

• ask questions to confirm understanding.

• accept others’ perceptions as their truth.

• take action to help others feel fully heard and seen.

• pursue as many different viewpoints as possible and embrace the bearer of bad news.

5. I Promote Teamwork when I:

• treat others in a respectful manner, regardless of their position, identity, and background.

• encourage and support my coworkers.

• value and acknowledge others for their contributions to the success of the team and NGHS.

• put the good of the team and NGHS first.

• strive to find common ground to solve problems for the good of NGHS.

• cut across boundaries to get things done.

6. I Hold Others Accountable when I:

• provide clear, consistent, and frequent communication about what is most important.

• clarify what is less important to establish clear priorities.

• help others see their blind spots.

• look for every opportunity to provide reinforcing feedback.

• provide immediate and actionable corrective feedback.

7. I Strive for Continuous Improvement when I:

• hold myself personally responsible to seek improvements every day.

• experiment regularly with new ideas and approaches.

• demonstrate initiative and perseverance to overcome obstacles and resistance to change.

• embrace mistakes and pivot quickly if a new approach fails.

• seek to always be better tomorrow than today.

Organization Expectations

• Quest: Demonstrates/utilizes Quest tools in department.

• Talent Development:  Coaches and develops staff.

• Safety:  Promotes patient, visitor and staff safety and effectively manages hazards that lead to injury or harm.

• Productivity:  Meets productivity expectations.

• Regulatory Compliance:  Ensures department’s compliance with all regulatory, DNV, mandatory education, and similar requirements.

Key Performance Indicators (KPI)

Identifies unit/department level goals that align with the organization's Key Performance Indicators.

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)

If, in the normal course of my duties and responsibilities, I am required to access protected health information (PHI) and electronic protected health information (EPHI) for the purposes of treatment, payment and operations within Northeast Georgia Health System, I will limit such access to only the minimum necessary amount of PHI and EPHI necessary to perform the functions of my job.  If access is not required in the normal course of my duties and responsibilities, I will not access PHI or EPHI.  

Job Specific and Unique Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstration of positive attitude, high energy, and strong organizational and interpersonal skills

• Able to demonstrate effective counseling skills based on the latest evidence for professional conduct and practice

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with demonstrated ability to work effectively in both independent and team settings

• Current knowledge of state and federal programs that provide medical care and financial support to individual. Current knowledge of community resources

• Passion for working with individuals of varying cultural and socio-economic backgrounds

Essential Tasks and Responsibilities

• Use a family systems theory framework to structure assessment and identification of factors unique to the patient which represent a potential impact to optimal health and wellness.

• Develop a plan to address the prioritized, unique needs of the patient that have been identified through assessment.

• Communicate with Primary Care Physician and other members of the health care team regarding any items of critical information that will affect the established plan of care as well as to provide routine updates of patient's progress toward goals.

• Assess and assure appropriate reporting of any potential/actual abusive relationship where violence or neglect is a factor.

• Maintain current knowledge of community resources and facilitate connections between patients and resources as appropriate.

• Provide opportunities for interactions between you and the patient/groups of patients designed to promote patient engagement in self-management of chronic conditions, lifestyle changes and behavior medications as well as education for coping with stress.

• Use a structured format to document within the EMR the results of your assessment, the action items you are working on with the patient, the results and changes if needed.

• Prepare reports as required by various federal, state, and local programs.

• Track and monitor for trends of key indicators of the social health of the community.

• Participate in Quality Improvement (QI), Quality Assurance (AQ) and Continuous Improvement Activities (CQI) as appropriate.
   

Physical Demands

• Weight Lifted: Up to 20 lbs, Occasionally 0-30%of time

• Weight Carried: Up to 20 lbs, Occasionally 0-30%of time

• Vision: Heavy, Constantly 66-100% of time

• Kneeling/Stooping/Bending: Occasionally 0-30%

• Standing/Walking: Occasionally 0-30%

• Pushing/Pulling: Occasionally 0-30%

• Intensity of Work: Frequently 31-65%

• Job Requires: Reading, Writing, Reasoning, Talking, Keyboarding, Driving

Environment and Working Conditions

• OSHA Category III: Job classifications in which the normal duties do not entail predictable or unpredictable contact with blood or other potentially infectious or hazardous materials.