What is a Healthcare Social Worker?
Career Description Provide individuals, families, and groups with the psychosocial support needed to cope with chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses. Services include advising family care givers, providing patient education and counseling, and making referrals for other services. May also provide care and case management or interventions designed to promote health, prevent disease, and address barriers to access to healthcare.
Daily Life Of a Healthcare Social Worker
- Conduct social research to advance knowledge in the social work field.
- Identify environmental impediments to client or patient progress through interviews and review of patient records.
- Refer patient, client, or family to community resources to assist in recovery from mental or physical illness and to provide access to services such as financial assistance, legal aid, housing, job placement or education.
- Supervise and direct other workers providing services to clients or patients.
- Utilize consultation data and social work experience to plan and coordinate client or patient care and rehabilitation, following through to ensure service efficacy.
- Develop or advise on social policy and assist in community development.
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Healthcare Social Worker Required Skills
When polled, Healthcare Social Workers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Clinical Social Worker
- Disability Coordinator
- Case Managers
- Public Welfare Worker
- Geriatric Social Worker
Job Opportunities for Healthcare Social Workers
There were about 176,500 jobs for Healthcare Social Worker in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 20.1% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 35,500 new jobs for Healthcare Social Worker by 2026. There will be an estimated 22,900 positions for Healthcare Social Worker per year.
The states with the most job growth for Healthcare Social Worker are Arizona, Utah, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Maine, or Illinois. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Healthcare Social Worker Salary
Healthcare Social Workers make between $34,210 and $84,870 a year.
Healthcare Social Workers who work in California, Alaska, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.
How much do Healthcare Social Workers make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $47,740 |
| Alaska | $70,620 |
| Arizona | $62,920 |
| Arkansas | $46,310 |
| California | $76,450 |
| Colorado | $52,150 |
| Connecticut | $72,640 |
| Delaware | $55,870 |
| District of Columbia | $72,090 |
| Florida | $50,950 |
| Georgia | $53,110 |
| Hawaii | $66,210 |
| Idaho | $56,080 |
| Illinois | $52,830 |
| Indiana | $51,710 |
| Iowa | $51,360 |
| Kansas | $53,580 |
| Kentucky | $50,340 |
| Louisiana | $53,460 |
| Maine | $52,830 |
| Maryland | $58,350 |
| Massachusetts | $61,960 |
| Michigan | $56,830 |
| Minnesota | $58,670 |
| Mississippi | $48,080 |
| Missouri | $46,370 |
| Montana | $49,570 |
| Nebraska | $48,230 |
| Nevada | $82,820 |
| New Hampshire | $64,570 |
| New Jersey | $64,570 |
| New Mexico | $55,490 |
| New York | $62,280 |
| North Carolina | $54,730 |
| North Dakota | $53,300 |
| Ohio | $52,910 |
| Oklahoma | $48,580 |
| Oregon | $70,830 |
| Pennsylvania | $53,770 |
| Rhode Island | $57,620 |
| South Carolina | $57,660 |
| South Dakota | $43,350 |
| Tennessee | $50,700 |
| Texas | $59,090 |
| Utah | $63,200 |
| Vermont | $57,900 |
| Virginia | $57,510 |
| Washington | $62,180 |
| West Virginia | $49,440 |
| Wisconsin | $52,300 |
| Wyoming | $57,270 |
What Tools do Healthcare Social Workers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Healthcare Social Workers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Web browser software
- Email software
- Word processing software
- Spreadsheet software
- Database software
- Microsoft Publisher
- MEDITECH software
- Medical procedure coding software
- Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS
- Corel WordPerfect
- Adobe Systems Adobe PageMaker
- Patient electronic medical record EMR software
- Relational database software
- Calendar software
- Social Solutions ETO
- Web page design and editing software
How do I Become a Healthcare Social Worker?
What education or degrees do I need to become a Healthcare Social Worker?
How Long Does it Take to Become a Healthcare Social Worker?
Healthcare Social Workers Sector
The table below shows the approximate number of Healthcare Social Workers employed by various industries.
Related Careers
Those interested in being a Healthcare Social Worker may also be interested in:
Career changers with experience as a Healthcare Social Worker sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
Image Credit: Army Medicine via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Reusing_content_outside_Wikimedia
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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