Medical case worker vs hospital social worker

The differences between medical case workers and hospital social workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a medical case worker and a hospital social worker. Additionally, a hospital social worker has an average salary of $54,774, which is higher than the $40,807 average annual salary of a medical case worker.

The top three skills for a medical case worker include social work, substance abuse and patient care. The most important skills for a hospital social worker are social work, patients, and patient care.

Medical case worker vs hospital social worker overview

	Medical Case Worker	Hospital Social Worker
Yearly salary	$40,807	$54,774
Hourly rate	$19.62	$26.33
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	100,095	105,520
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	2	2

Medical case worker vs hospital social worker salary

Medical case workers and hospital social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Medical Case Worker	Hospital Social Worker
Average salary	$40,807	$54,774
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $57,000	Between $38,000 And $77,000
Highest paying City	-	Santa Rosa, CA
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Medical Billing
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between medical case worker and hospital social worker education

There are a few differences between a medical case worker and a hospital social worker in terms of educational background:

	Medical Case Worker	Hospital Social Worker
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Most common major	Business	Social Work
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Medical case worker vs hospital social worker demographics

Here are the differences between medical case workers' and hospital social workers' demographics:

	Medical Case Worker	Hospital Social Worker
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1%	Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 19.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 3.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 19.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 3.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	13%	13%

Differences between medical case worker and hospital social worker duties and responsibilities

Medical case worker example responsibilities.

Review and research leads regarding personal injury cases by obtaining information from the Medicaid recipient's attorney and insurance adjuster
Provide education to patients and family members on available resources and
Prepare a variety of documentation for communicating important information for patient linkage to external programs and provide detail education to patients.
Work with a complex interdisciplinary team facilitating treatment for patients on medical floors including oncology, dialysis, cardiac and maternity.
Review EOB's for reimbursement accuracy.
Maintain EOB's and various medical records compliant with HIPAA regulations.

Hospital social worker example responsibilities.

Screen, identify, diagnose using DSM nomenclature, treat and manage mental health and/or substance abuse problems.
Provide individual therapy, case management, and insurance coverage reviews for individuals undergoing short-term rehabilitation.
Provide orientation, support and information to patients and their families to facilitate active involvement in the rehabilitation environment.
Perform assessments/social history upon admission to better understand the patient's needs and personal circumstances as they relate to their rehabilitation.
Coordinate care with community providers for follow up if patient are discharged, prepare documentation for admission to inpatient psychiatry unit.
Analyze psychological / psycho-social evaluations, IEP's, and medical histories within a referral packet to determine eligibility.

Medical case worker vs hospital social worker skills

Common medical case worker skills

Social Work, 12%
Substance Abuse, 11%
Patient Care, 8%
Crisis Intervention, 8%
Rehabilitation, 7%
Nursing Home, 7%

Common hospital social worker skills

Social Work, 28%
Patients, 21%
Patient Care, 7%
MSW, 6%
Behavioral Health, 5%
Acute Care, 4%

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Medical Case Worker
Medical Case Worker vs Hospital Social Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

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