Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as we help advance health equity on a global scale. Here, you will find talented peers, comprehensive benefits, a culture guided by diversity and inclusion, career growth opportunities and your life’s best work.^SM

In 2021, Optum and SSM Health announced a new strategic collaboration to create a sustainable, affordable, quality system of care that is easy to access and keeps people healthy. Through knowledge sharing, best-in-class tools and technology, and enhanced clinical and operational performance, together Optum and SSM Health will focus on transforming health care for all.  Whether you work with us in providing direct patient care, serving a meal, or helping patients in countless other ways, you will be playing a role in transforming health care through compassion and healing.  Bring your unique talents to a team that will empower you to do your best as you take on a rewarding role that leads to your life’s best work.^SM

The Part Time Social Worker (SSM) is responsible and accountable for coordination of patient services through an interdisciplinary process, which provides clinical and psychosocial approach through continuum of care.  Discharge planning will begin at the time of (or prior to) admission, and reassessed ongoing throughout the course of hospitalization.

Provides direct social work/case management services to patients and/or families and hospital staff to ensure needed assessment intervention, support and referral.  Coordinates services with other members of the health care team community wide.  Respond to information and referral needs of the community.

The foundation of the Social Worker role includes crisis intervention, comprehensive understanding of mental health diagnosis, brief counseling, working collaboratively with community vendors, identifying resource needs, arrange and facilitate meetings with the health care team as needed, problem solving and encouraging patients toward wellness.

This position is part-time (20 hours/week) Monday to Friday. Employees are required to have flexibility to work any of our 8-hour shift schedules during our normal business hours of 08:00am – 05:00pm. Our office is located at SSM St. Marys Hospital Madison- 700 S Brooks St. Madison, WI 53715.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Coordinates patient care processes to achieve desired quality outcomes and identifies/controls appropriate resource utilization
• Provide skilled interventions for:  patient/family support and/or resolution of patient/family crises; facilitating problem-solving/decision-making; advocacy and facilitation necessitated by life-changing events (new diagnosis, abuse, loss of independence, bereavement); and mediation of risk factors and various psychosocial issues
• The Social Worker will be responsible for integrating the assessment of the need for post-hospital services and determination of an appropriate discharge plan for all Skilled Nursing Facility, Home Care, and some LTAC cases
• Educates patient/family as to options/choices within the level of care determined to be appropriate.  Initiates all necessary paperwork
• Facilitates completion of orders and timely discharge of patients, Continuum of Care planning will emphasize education and collaboration with physicians, family members, nursing staff, therapist, and case managers from contracted payors when appropriate to determine discharge plan that will be of maximum benefit to the patient.  Involve staff from next level of care in the treatment plan as early as possible to promote continuity and collaboration
• Reports all relevant information to the staff assuming responsibility in the next level of care
• Interface with department directors, Risk Management and patient representatives to identify potential QA or risk issues.  Perform any necessary investigation, documentation and follow-up as required
• Participates in departmental SQI projects
• Must be able to functionally coordinate and discharge plan for all age groups, including but not limited to the unborn child through geriatric age groups
• Is familiar with and expected to comply with all regulatory requirements, including CMS and Joint Commission Standards

You’ll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.  

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree (or higher) in Social Work OR 3+ months or less from completion of a master’s degree in Social Work
• Ability to work onsite and possibility of minimal travel between hospital campuses
• Basic Microsoft Word skills
• Full COVID-19 vaccination is an essential job function of this role. Candidates located in states that mandate COVID-19 booster doses must also comply with those state requirements. UnitedHealth Group will adhere to all federal, state and local regulations as well as all client requirements and will obtain necessary proof of vaccination, and boosters when applicable, prior to employment to ensure compliance. Candidates must be able to perform all essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 1+ years of  medical social work experience
• LCSW

To protect the health and safety of our workforce, patients and communities we serve, UnitedHealth Group and its affiliate companies required all employees to disclose COVID-19 vaccination status prior to beginning employment. In addition, some roles and locations require full COVID-19 vaccination, including boosters, as an essential job function. UnitedHealth Group adheres to all federal, state and local COVID-19 vaccination regulations as well as client COVID-19 vaccination requirements and will obtain the necessary information from candidates prior to employment to ensure compliance. Candidates must be able to perform all essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation. Failure to meet the vaccination requirement may result in rescission of an employment offer or termination of employment.

Careers with Optum. Our objective is to make health care simpler and more effective for everyone. With our hands at work across all aspects of health, you can play a role in creating a healthier world, one insight, one connection and one person at a time. We bring together some of the greatest minds and ideas to take health care to its fullest potential, promoting health equity and accessibility. Work with diverse, engaged and high-performing teams to help solve important challenges.

**PLEASE NOTE** The sign on bonus is only available to external candidates. Candidates who are currently working for a UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthcare or related entity in a full time, part time, or per diem basis ("Internal Candidates") are not eligible to receive a sign on bonus.

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone–of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income–deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes — an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug – free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.

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