Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Professional Training
Certification
Timeline
Generic

Lizette Lopez

MSW, LCSW, APHSW-C
Durham,North Carolina

Summary

Bilingual licensed clinical social worker with over 14 years experience in medical social work and most currently 11 years experience in inpatient hospital palliative care social work as a part of a consultative/specialty level interdisciplinary team. Dedicated and committed to advocating for the psychosocial needs of patients and families facing chronic and/or life limiting illness to ensure optimization of quality of life throughout the spectrum of care.

Overview

14
14
years of professional experience
2
2
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification

Work History

Inpatient Palliative Care Social Worker

Transitions LifeCare
06.2021 - Current
  • Collaborate daily with the interdisciplinary teams at WakeMed Raleigh and WakeMed Cary to assist with triaging and prioritizing consult needs including introducing the role of palliative care, assessing capacity of patient, identifying legal surrogate decision makers, offer psychosocial counseling support, identifying needs for other disciplines or specialties, coordinating family meetings and assessing primary palliative care vs. specialty level palliative care need
  • Foster relationships with attending or consultative physicians/ advanced practice providers as well as other specialties across the WakeMed system and surrounding Triangle area to promote education on palliative care, hospice care and the importance of addressing psychosocial aspects in goals of care/decision making for improved patient/family outcomes.
  • Facilitate and participate in team debriefing for performance and practice improvement as well as to promote team well being
  • Continually expand knowledge on palliative care best practices through participation in professional development opportunities such as conferences, workshops, and online courses; obtained the Advanced Palliative Hospice Social Worker Certification
  • Assist with maintenance of the team database of educational resources as well as local resources in Wake County and the Triangle area to connect patients and families with appropriate acute and long term care options. Assist in ongoing team education on current resources including updates on policy or regulation changes that may impact our patient/family population including cultural competent care practices
  • Participated in palliative care education and training for WakeMed Internal Medicine Residency Program physicians as well as for physicians in the University of North Carolina Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program

Inpatient Palliative Care Social Worker

Mission Health System (HCA)
02.2013 - 05.2021
  • Conducted and documented comprehensive biopsychosocial and needs assessments of the patient and family system including assessments for understanding of medical circumstance, psychosocial distress, existential distress, complexity of family dynamics, social factors impacting circumstance/goals, and caregiver stress
  • Implemented appropriate counseling or resource intervention for the patient/family including brief solution-focused, skills/strength based, crisis and/or bereavement counseling as well as psycho-education; mediating conflict as necessary and building rapport via exploration of a patient's personal values, beliefs, and goals
  • Worked collaboratively within the interdisciplinary team, consulting specialist, and primary providers including case management for shared treatment planning as to ensure a holistic approach to patient centered care during IDG, initial consultation visit and follow-ups; placed appropriate referrals and assisted with education and coordination of post acute care options as necessary
  • Coordinated, facilitated, and participated in goals of care/family meetings not only with palliative care team providers but with primary attending, consulting physicians/providers from various services lines, and other support staff disciplines for quality improvement in patient care, fostering collaborative relationships, and promoting primary palliative care
  • Assisted with educational initiatives including participating in training physicians as part of the Hospice and Palliative Care Fellowship Program through MAHEC, assisting with medical student training and assist with initiatives to educate service lines on palliative care for improvement in patient centered care
  • Actively participated with the team as a whole towards quality improvement including process improvement, program development, productivity/efficiency improvement, and patient satisfaction outcomes via routine case conference, administrative meetings, and debriefing including providing/receiving feedback

Home Health Social Worker

CarePartners Home Health Services
05.2010 - 02.2013
  • Assisted the multidisciplinary home health team and primary clinicians/providers in conducting biopsychosocial assessments of patients/families in the home setting, assisted in goals of care conversations to create an effective plan of care or to address safety concerns as needed including facilitating transitions into higher care when warranted

Education

Master of Social Work - Direct Practice & Medical Social Work

University of North Carolina School of Social Work
Chapel Hill, NC
08.2009 - 05.2011

Bachelor of Arts - Psychology

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC
Aug 2005 - 05.2009

Professional Training

Social Work Intern (Graduate school rotation - August 2010 - April 2011)

Durham VA Medical Center: Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinic Center - Durham, NC

  • Conducted biopsychosocial assessments for Veterans and caregivers at the Geriatric Outpatient Clinic as well as the inpatient Geriatic Evaluation and Management Unit (GEM) as a part of the interdisciplinary team. Assisted with research for the Transitional Care Partners Program (TLC)

Social Work Intern (Graduate school rotation - September 2009 - April 2010

Duke HomeCare & Hospice - Durham, NC

  • Shadowed and assisted the home health social worker (only 1 MSW employed at this time; serving 9 surrounding counties) in conducting psychosocial assessments during home visits with patients and families. Provided information or assistance in connecting with resources as needed

Palliative Care Social Work Intern (May 2009 - August 2009)

CarePartners Hospice and Palliative Care - Asheville, NC

  • Shadowed the community/outpatient palliative care social worker during home, ALF, and SNF visits with patients/families; provided assistance as need with assessments and resource coordination. Shadowed other disciplines during this time period within hospice care

Administrative Intern (June - August, 2006 - 2008)

Mission Health- Asheville, NC

  • Assisted the Chief Medical Officer and other administrative executives with research and writing for various projects including: case management efficiency, expanding palliative care in the WNC region, performance improvement, infection control, diabetes care and integrative medicine

Certification

Advanced Palliative Hospice Social Worker - Certified

Timeline

Inpatient Palliative Care Social Worker

Transitions LifeCare
06.2021 - Current

Inpatient Palliative Care Social Worker

Mission Health System (HCA)
02.2013 - 05.2021

Home Health Social Worker

CarePartners Home Health Services
05.2010 - 02.2013

Master of Social Work - Direct Practice & Medical Social Work

University of North Carolina School of Social Work
08.2009 - 05.2011

Bachelor of Arts - Psychology

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Aug 2005 - 05.2009

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Lizette LopezMSW, LCSW, APHSW-C