Why Join the Department of Social Work Guest Assistance Program team? 

As a member of the Department of Social Work Guest Assistance Program team, you will play an essential role in educating, coordinating, and assisting adult and pediatric patients and their families in identifying resources to address environmental, financial, insurance, medication, and healthcare-related barriers to care.

This role assists patients and families in navigating financial and/or insurance concerns and connects eligible patients with assistance programs that support medication access, healthcare needs, and continuity of care. The program also provides information, education, and support to medical teams regarding available assistance resources and eligibility requirements.

The outcome of these services is to support patients and families, help maximize their participation in and benefit from healthcare, and assist in removing barriers that may interfere with continuity of care.

The Department of Social Work strives to foster an environment of respect and belonging; a place where every person feels valued and can thrive. We are seeking a diverse candidate pool who is passionate about providing optimal psychosocial care to this patient population.

What Perks and Benefits Can You Look Forward to?

• 2:1 match on retirement savings
• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage starting on day one of employment
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays
• Financial support for continuing education and certifications

You will be responsible for:

• Assisting patients and families with environmental, financial, insurance, medication access, and healthcare-related barriers that may interfere with obtaining maximum benefit from medical care.
• Conducting brief psychosocial and resource-based assessments to identify patient and family needs, barriers to care, eligibility for assistance, and appropriate interventions.
• Maintaining standardized processes for screening patients for assistance eligibility.
• Connecting and/or enrolling eligible patients in internal and external assistance programs, including medication assistance, financial assistance, insurance-related resources, and community support programs.
• Serving as an information resource and entry point for patients and families managing the financial and practical challenges often created by severe, chronic, or unexpected illness.
• Working directly with patients and families through face-to-face, telephone, and electronic communication.
• Collaborating with multidisciplinary clinic staff, medical teams, financial counselors, pharmacy teams, and community partners to identify patient needs and optimize education, referral, and enrollment opportunities.
• Providing information, education, and consultation to medical teams regarding available assistance opportunities, eligibility criteria, documentation needs, and resource processes.
• Practicing principles of patient- and family-centered care.
• Maintaining accurate and timely documentation of assessments, interventions, referrals, applications, approvals, denials, patient communications, and follow-up activities in appropriate systems.
• Tracking assistance requests, electronic documentation, application status, program outcomes, and unresolved barriers to support continuity and accountability.
• Maintaining current knowledge of healthcare assistance programs, medication assistance resources, insurance-related resources, community programs, and eligibility requirements.
• Identifying recurring barriers, resource gaps, and opportunities for process improvement within the Guest Assistance Program.
• Prioritizing competing demands and time-sensitive requests in a fast-paced healthcare environment.
• Performing other related duties and responsibilities as identified and assigned to support patient care, departmental operations, and program goals.

• Bachelor's degree in Social Work, BSW, from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

• Current State of Michigan social work license, LLBSW or LBSW.

   

• Demonstrated ability to conduct brief psychosocial and resource-based assessments to identify patient and family needs, barriers to care, and appropriate resources.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse patient populations experiencing a variety of medical, financial, insurance, medication access, environmental, and psychosocial needs.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational, analytical, documentation, and follow-through skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, solve problems, and prioritize competing demands.
• Knowledge of community resources and ability to assist patients and families in navigating complex healthcare and support systems.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and Access, or similar database and tracking tools.
• Comfort using electronic systems for documentation, tracking, communication, and resource coordination.

• Knowledge of healthcare systems and patient care operations.

• Familiarity with hospital billing procedures and financial assistance processes.

• Understanding of healthcare insurance programs, medication assistance programs, community resources, eligibility criteria, and application processes.

• Experience helping patients navigate complex healthcare, financial, insurance, medication access, and community resource systems.

• Demonstrated interpersonal skills and ability to establish rapport with patients, families, clinical teams, and community partners.

• Strong critical thinking, assessment, and problem-solving skills.

• Experience communicating effectively and compassionately with diverse patient populations.

• Experience working in an academic medical center, hospital, clinic, social work, care coordination, patient navigation, or assistance program setting.

• Experience with electronic medical records, databases, spreadsheets, or tracking systems.

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

This is full-time, 40 hour/week position. The typical schedule is Monday-Friday with start and end times of 8:30-5:00.  Schedule may shift in the future to meet program requirements.

This position will work out of a primary work site location:

• Guest Assistance Program, University Hospital, 1500 E. Medical Center Dr., Ann Arbor

This position may be underfilled at a lower classification depending on the qualifications of the selected candidate.  Advancement through the career ladder at the Expert or Clinical Scholar Level is required for placement in the MSW Senior Classification

This position is covered under the collective bargaining agreement between the U-M and the United Michigan Medicine Allied Professionals (UMMAP), which contains and settles all matters with respect to wages, benefits, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.

Michigan Medicine conducts background screening and pre-employment drug testing on job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent job offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background screenings.  Background screenings are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Report Act. Pre-employment drug testing applies to all selected candidates, including new or additional faculty and staff appointments, as well as transfers from other U-M campuses.

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days.  The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.