Social work case manager vs medical case manager

The differences between social work case managers and medical case managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a social work case manager, becoming a medical case manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a social work case manager has an average salary of $45,321, which is higher than the $42,432 average annual salary of a medical case manager.

The top three skills for a social work case manager include social work, patients and social services. The most important skills for a medical case manager are patients, rehabilitation, and care coordination.

Social work case manager vs medical case manager overview

	Social Work Case Manager	Medical Case Manager
Yearly salary	$45,321	$42,432
Hourly rate	$21.79	$20.40
Growth rate	12%	28%
Number of jobs	49,793	85,820
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age	43	47
Years of experience	12	6

What does a social work case manager do?

A Social Work Case Manager counsels groups or individuals in dealing with chronic illness, loss of a loved one, or substance abuse. They evaluate the needs of each individual client and maintain detailed records of their progress in the healing process.

What does a medical case manager do?

The primary role of a Medical Case Manager is to monitor the patients treatment plan to ensure that physicians are doing their jobs properly. They are also responsible for improving the quality of patient services, increasing revenue, analyzing the information gathered by investigations, and reporting recommendations.

Social work case manager vs medical case manager salary

Social work case managers and medical case managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Social Work Case Manager	Medical Case Manager
Average salary	$45,321	$42,432
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $61,000	Between $26,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City	San Leandro, CA	Walnut Creek, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Tenet Healthcare	AIG
Best paying industry	Health Care	Insurance

Differences between social work case manager and medical case manager education

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

	Social Work Case Manager	Medical Case Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Social Work	Nursing
Most common college	California State University - Fullerton	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Social work case manager vs medical case manager demographics

Here are the differences between social work case managers' and medical case managers' demographics:

	Social Work Case Manager	Medical Case Manager
Average age	43	47
Gender ratio	Male, 19.4% Female, 80.6%	Male, 19.8% Female, 80.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 6.4% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1%	Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 8.0% White, 60.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	11%	12%

Differences between social work case manager and medical case manager duties and responsibilities

Social work case manager example responsibilities.

Collaborate with partners including public and private agencies to achieve permanency for children.
Facilitate resource management by making appropriate referrals to community agencies that help patients remain safe and independent in their home environment.
Review inpatient hospital medical records using InterQual criteria to determine that patient admission meet quality and utilization standards.
Adhere to rules and regulations pertinent to inpatient rehabilitation as defined by Medicare/Medicaid and other licensing and accrediting organizations.
Coordinate and schedule in home physician visits and transportation arrangements for patients to receive medical services in hospitals and clinics.
Respond to high volume telephone and walk-in inquiries regarding long-term placement, government entitlements, rehabilitation, and services provide.

Medical case manager example responsibilities.

Provide clients support with basic ADL's (shopping, payee services, budgets, managing and attending appointments).
Facilitate rehabilitation plans with TPA/Provider/Treatment team to provide professional case management services to catastrophically injure patients after auto injury.
Collaborate with inpatient medical team and case management department to promote effective discharge planning and utilization management of hospitalize patients.
Coordinate medical management and vocational rehabilitation.
Attend weekly DHS case conferences to ensure client compliance and progress with obtaining and securing permanent housing.
Report, maintain, and update case data, goal attainment, and outcomes into the HMIS system.

Social work case manager vs medical case manager skills

Common social work case manager skills

Social Work, 38%
Patients, 20%
Social Services, 5%
Discharge Planning, 4%
Acute Care, 4%
Patient Care, 3%

Common medical case manager skills

Patients, 18%
Rehabilitation, 8%
Care Coordination, 7%
Social Work, 6%
Home Health, 6%
Customer Service, 6%

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Social Work Case Manager
Social Work Case Manager vs Medical Case Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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