Life As a Healthcare Social Worker
Example of Healthcare Social Worker Job 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
- Counsel clients and patients in individual and group sessions to help them overcome dependencies, recover from illness, and adjust to life.
- Plan discharge from care facility to home or other care facility.
- Modify treatment plans to comply with changes in clients’ status.
- 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.
- Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress according to measurable goals described in treatment and care plan.
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What a Healthcare Social Worker Should Know
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.
Other Healthcare Social Worker Job Titles
- Healthcare Advocate
- Licensed Social Worker
- Disability Specialist
- Dialysis Social Worker
- Hospital Social Worker
Job Demand for Healthcare Social Workers
In the United States, there were 176,500 jobs for Healthcare Social Worker in 2016. 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. The BLS estimates 22,900 yearly job openings in this field.

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.
Average Healthcare Social Workers Salary
The typical yearly salary for Healthcare Social Workers is somewhere between $34,210 and $84,870.

Healthcare Social Workers who work in California, Alaska, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Healthcare Social Workers 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
Becoming a Healthcare Social Worker
Individuals working as a Healthcare Social Worker have obtained the following education levels:

What work experience do I need to become a Healthcare Social Worker?

Where do Healthcare Social Workers Work?

Healthcare Social Workers work in the following industries:

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those thinking about becoming a Healthcare Social Worker might also be interested in the following careers:
Are you already one of the many Healthcare Social Worker in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
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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