Jennifer Kelley
Ashland,NE
Summary
Versatile Medical Social Worker with 27 years experience in psychosocial evaluations, discharge planning, and community resource coordination. Skilled in healthcare navigation, clinical documentation, and interdisciplinary collaboration to ensure optimal patient care. Adept at enhancing communication strategies and supporting families in understanding insurance benefits.
Overview
36
36
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Medical Social Worker
Nebraska Medicine
Omaha, NE
07.2008 - Current
- Completed psychosocial evaluations and needs assessments.
- Connected patients with community resources, ensuring access to essential services such as housing, healthcare, and financial assistance.
- Coordinated individualized discharge plans to manage safe transition back into community and home environments.
- Ensured continuity of care by coordinating seamless transitions from hospitalization to outpatient services, home health care, skilled nursing facilities or long-term care facilities.
- Assisted families in understanding insurance benefits.
- Coordinated patient discharge planning and follow-up care.
- Developed relationships with community healthcare providers to enhance timely discharge planning.
Medical Social Worker
Creighton University Medical Center
Omaha, NE
06.1997 - 07.2008
- Completed psychosocial evaluations and needs assessments.
- Maintained detailed documentation of client progress, adhering to strict confidentiality guidelines in compliance with HIPAA regulations.
- Explained medical care options to help families make informed healthcare decisions.
- Enhanced interdisciplinary team collaboration for optimal patient care through regular case conferences and communication.
- Ensured continuity of care by coordinating seamless transitions from hospitalization to outpatient services, home health care, skilled nursing facilities, or long-term care facilities.
- Provided emotional support to patients and families during critical health situations, promoting coping mechanisms and resilience.
- Supported ethical decision-making processes among healthcare teams by providing guidance on complex cases involving end-of-life care or medical ethics dilemmas.
- Conducted training sessions for new social workers, enhancing team's overall competency and care quality.
- Customized intervention strategies to meet unique cultural and personal needs of patients.
- Participated in interdisciplinary care conferences to discuss patient care plans and referrals.
- Collaborated with healthcare providers to drive continuity of care.
Admissions Coordinator/Director of Social Services
Beverly Health and Rehabilitation at Oak Grove
Omaha, NE
05.1994 - 06.1997
- Assessed patients at hospitals and in their homes for admission into skilled nursing facility.
- Be involved in the admission process and document criteria for Medicare/Medicaid.
- Assisted in patient admission process based on federal and state laws.
- Collaborated with corporate admissions team to develop and implement strategies to improve admissions process.
- Optimized communication strategies between departments involved in the admissions process, fostering collaboration and efficiency.
- Acted as coordinator for the social services department.
- Completed preliminary paperwork for incoming and outgoing patients.
Community Family Worker
Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska
Santee, NE
01.1991 - 01.1994
- Tasked with reducing infant mortality rate on Native American reservation through community awareness and education.
- Collaborated with other community agencies to create a consortium to provide prevention/intervention programs in the area of child care, substance abuse and wellness awareness.
- Assisted families in navigating the child welfare system, advocating on their behalf when necessary.
- Enhanced community resources accessibility by maintaining a comprehensive database of support services and referrals.
Admissions Coordinator/Director of Social Services
Good Shepherd Lutheran Home
Blair, NE
05.1988 - 01.1991
- Provided exceptional customer service during phone and email interactions with prospective residents and their families, addressing concerns promptly and professionally.
- Assisted in patient admission process based on federal and state laws.
- Optimized communication strategies between departments involved in the admissions process, fostering collaboration and efficiency.
- Do all admission paperwork with residents when they were admitted.
- Maintain social service records on each resident, social history, plan of care and periodic progress notes.
Education
Master of Social Work - Social Work
University of Nebraska At Omaha
Omaha, NE05.1997
Bachelor of Social Work - Social Work
Dana College
Blair, NE05.1988
Skills
- Healthcare Navigation
- Clinical Documentation
- Assessing Post Acute Medical Needs
- Interdisciplinary Coordination
- Working with Medicare/Medicaid
- Discharge Planning
- Psychosocial Assessment
- Admitting Processes
- Referral Coordination
- Networking with Community Providers
- Teamwork and Collaboration
- Problem-Solving
Certification
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) - Association of Social Work Boards.
Timeline
Medical Social Worker
Nebraska Medicine
07.2008 - Current
Medical Social Worker
Creighton University Medical Center
06.1997 - 07.2008
Admissions Coordinator/Director of Social Services
Beverly Health and Rehabilitation at Oak Grove
05.1994 - 06.1997
Community Family Worker
Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska
01.1991 - 01.1994
Admissions Coordinator/Director of Social Services
Good Shepherd Lutheran Home
05.1988 - 01.1991
Master of Social Work - Social Work
University of Nebraska At Omaha
Bachelor of Social Work - Social Work
Dana College