JobsAdvocate Health

Medical Social Worker

Advocate Health · Hazel Crest, IL

Posted Sep 1, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Tell me about a discharge that got complicated, maybe the family disagreed with the plan or insurance wouldn't cover what the patient needed. What did you do?

how the candidate navigates conflict between clinical needs, payer limits, and family wishes

Tell me about a time you suspected abuse or neglect. What did you do and how did that play out?

comfort with mandated reporting and handling a sensitive, high-stakes situation correctly

Tell me about a case where the medical team wanted one thing and you thought the social work perspective pointed somewhere else. How did you handle that disagreement?

how the candidate holds their professional ground within a multidisciplinary team without becoming a roadblock

Tell me about a patient you couldn't get the outcome you wanted for, whether that was placement, resources, or family cooperation. What did you learn from it?

self-awareness and realistic expectations about the limits of the job

Technical

Walk me through how you'd do a psychosocial assessment on a patient who's being difficult or shut down and won't talk to you.

whether the candidate has a real assessment method versus just good intentions

How do you keep track of community resources, shelters, home health agencies, hospice programs, so you're not scrambling every time?

whether the candidate has an actual system for resource knowledge versus relying on memory

How do you explain advance directives to a family that's never thought about them, especially if the patient is declining fast?

comfort and skill with end-of-life conversations under time pressure

What does managing length of stay actually look like day to day for you, and how do you avoid it turning into just pushing people out the door?

understanding of the tension between throughput metrics and quality discharge planning

How would you coordinate care for a patient in an ACO model where you're trying to keep them in-network and avoid a readmission?

familiarity with value-based care concepts and network-based discharge planning

How do you document your work so it holds up if someone reviews the case later, whether that's a supervisor, an auditor, or a legal proceeding around guardianship?

attention to documentation standards and awareness of legal exposure in the role

Situational

You've got a patient ready for discharge today but no post-acute placement lined up, and the floor needs the bed. How do you handle it?

how the candidate balances length-of-stay pressure against doing right by the patient

A patient's family is pushing for a nursing home placement but the patient is adamant they want to go home, even though that seems unsafe. How do you work through that?

ability to advocate for patient autonomy while managing safety concerns and family dynamics

It's a Saturday, you're covering weekend rounds, and three different units page you at once with urgent discharge needs. How do you prioritize?

triage skill and composure under a fast-paced, understaffed weekend schedule

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 11200 Advocate South Suburban Hospital - Case Management Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 40 Schedule Details/Additional Information: Monday through Friday Rotating Weekends & Holidays Pay Range: $30.70 - $46.05 MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES • Provides social work services to patients, families, and individuals including psychosocial assessment, screening, determination of needs evaluation, appropriate interventions and follow up, and discharge planning.  Implements interventions substantiated by assessment as appropriate to the needs of the patient/client system and consistent with available resources and payer network. • Participates as part of the multi-disciplinary health care team to develop safe and timely coordination of care including but not limited to post-acute placement, palliative/hospice service lines, medical equipment, home healthcare, outpatient follow up, mental health resources, and other community resources. Advocates for patient involvement in the plan of care. Initiates and coordinates interventions with the activities of other members of the health care team. • Maintains up-to-date knowledge of community resources, legislation, and regulations impacting health care delivery and educating patients and families on these issues as appropriate. Provides resources to patients and families to ensure a timely discharge and to provide an appropriate link with post-acute care providers and services. Provides support and connection to additional services such as bereavement and loss, ethical issues, advanced directives, and end of life issues. Connects patients to appropriate agencies on issues of suspected abuse and neglect, domestic violence, guardianship, and other social matters. Collaborates with community agencies and institutions to plan continued care and to coordinate interventions Provides resources and education to patients and families regarding appropriate resources and access to community social services. • Communicates effectively with patients, family, other members of the health care team and community agencies and facilitates resolution of issues which could impact on continuity of care (e.g., prior-approvals, application requirements, transfer paperwork). Documents activity according to department and program protocols or standards. • Manages the progression of patients stay with the goal of optimizing the LOS and ensuring appropriateness of assigned Level of Care. Manages the patient’s care across the continuum to decrease unnecessary readmissions. Manages and coordinates patient care within an ACO environment to help facilitate patient outcomes through in network care coordination. Accountable for site specific KRA goal achievement as it relates to Care Coordination across the continuum. Participates in the orientation of new staff and/or education of social work students. • Provides education to patients/families regarding Advance Directives for health care decision-making. Assists with execution of these documents as appropriate. Participates in legal proceedings as necessary to secure legal decision-makers. • Maintains professional standards and responsibilities for his/her own professional practice according to accreditation, hospital, system, state and NASW Standards and Code of Ethics. Completes all required continuing education to maintain licensure and increase knowledge within area of practice specialty. MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED License/Registration/Certification:  IL-LSW Eligible, LCSW preferred issued by the State of Illinois/WI-Social Work Certification issued by the State of Wisconsin Level of Education:  Master’s degree in social work from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited school. Years of Experience:  1 year of social work experience in healthcare MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSA) • Demonstrated knowledge of social work principals and methods and the ability to apply these in a health care setting. • Demonstrates time management, professional accountability, and documentation skills. • Demonstrates communication skills and the ability to collaborate within a multi-disciplinary team. • Demonstrates and acts in accordance with safety principals of an accountable care organization. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING CONDITIONS • This position requires travel, therefore, will be exposed to weather and road conditions. • Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job. • Exposed to a normal office environment. • Exposed to patient care environment. May be exposed to hazardous materials and life-threatening diseases, therefore team members must abide by personal protective equipment as ordered. • Weekend, holiday, and evening coverage per site requirement. • Position requires sitting, standing, speaking, reading/writing, and walking throughout the workday. • Fast paced work environment with established time constraints per site. This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties. Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job • Incentive pay for select positions • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more • Paid Time Off programs • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs • Educational Assistance Program Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview. About Advocate Health  Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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