Location & Practice Overview

The position is based on the Northwestern Memorial Hospital campus in downtown Chicago and is assigned primarily to outpatient oncology services within the Northwestern Medicine academic health system.

Primary Site Northwestern Memorial Hospital campus, Chicago
Practice Model Academic medical center
Primary Assignment Outpatient oncology
Care Delivery On-site outpatient clinical environment

Responsibilities

  • Conduct comprehensive psychosocial assessments that examine social, emotional, cultural, mental status, environmental, and financial circumstances, then recommend intervention plans aligned with mutually set goals.
  • Provide direct psychosocial support for reactions to illness and disability, facilitation of informed decision-making (including advanced directives), treatment-plan compliance, and adjustment to post-hospital care needs.
  • Manage discharge planning by identifying post-care needs early, coordinating placements or community returns, removing barriers, and maintaining consensus among patient, family, physician, and payer.
  • Serve as the point person for the plan of care related to discharge needs through continuous collaboration with the interdisciplinary team, including participation in multidisciplinary rounds and case conferences.
  • Deliver crisis intervention and protective services when indicated, including situations involving suspected abuse or neglect, domestic violence, significant mental-status impairment, or unsafe living conditions.

Additional duties include timely documentation in the medical record, patient and family education on navigating the health system, contribution to case-management performance metrics, and graduate-level field supervision of social work students when required.

Qualifications & Requirements

Applicants must hold the required Illinois clinical license and meet the educational and experiential thresholds listed in the posting.

Licensure
Current Illinois Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
Degree
Master’s degree in Social Work from a CSWE-accredited program
Experience
At least two years of post-graduate experience in hospital social work or a related setting
Professional Skills
High-level interpersonal, organizational, and analytical skills for independent caseload management and resolution of complex or sensitive situations

Compensation & Benefits

The original posting does not state a specific salary. The range below is an estimate derived from published Northwestern Medicine LCSW hourly bands for comparable roles and Chicago-area market data for experienced hospital and oncology social workers. Benefit details reflect the employer’s general statements.

  • Estimated annual compensation: $74,000–$104,000
  • Tuition reimbursement and loan-forgiveness options
  • 401(k) matching
  • Lifecycle benefits supporting physical, emotional, and financial well-being

Schedule & Work Environment

Hours Full-time
Shift Pattern Days
Work Location On-site at the Northwestern Memorial Hospital campus
Caseload Style Self-directed prioritization of an appropriate patient caseload

Patient Population & Clinical Setting

The primary assignment is outpatient oncology. The LCSW also addresses complex psychosocial needs that arise across the broader Northwestern Memorial Hospital campus population when those needs fall within the role’s scope.

Primary Population Adults and families receiving outpatient oncology care
Illness Context Patients confronting chronic or terminal illness and treatment-related stressors
Complex Psychosocial Needs Financial barriers, limited support systems, housing instability, mental-status concerns, and situations involving suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
Encounter Setting Outpatient assessments with ongoing support aimed at preventing crisis or unnecessary hospitalization

Clinical Focus & Key Services

The clinical content of the role centers on psychosocial oncology support and the broader continuum of complex psychosocial care required by patients facing serious illness.

Psychosocial Oncology Emotional, social, and practical support for patients and families navigating cancer diagnosis, treatment, and chronic or terminal illness
Care Continuum Coordination Linkage to community resources, post-hospital care planning, and support for informed decision-making including advanced directives
Protective & Crisis Response Assessment and intervention for high-risk psychosocial situations that threaten safety or continuity of care
Resource Utilization Support Guidance on insurance coverage, payment issues, and access to needed services within the health system and community

Role Highlights

Distinctive features of this position include its primary placement in outpatient oncology at a major academic medical center and the independent clinical scope expected of the LCSW.

  • Primary assignment to outpatient oncology services on the Northwestern Memorial Hospital campus
  • Independent generalist clinician scope that includes complex psychosocial interventions and care-plan facilitation
  • Integration into multidisciplinary rounds, case conferences, and system-wide discharge coordination processes
  • Academic medical-center environment with opportunity for graduate social-work field supervision

About Northwestern Memorial Healthcare

Northwestern Memorial Healthcare operates as Northwestern Medicine, a not-for-profit integrated academic health system. Its flagship is Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, the primary teaching affiliate of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The system maintains hospitals and outpatient sites throughout the Chicago region and Northeastern Illinois.

Type Not-for-profit academic health system
Flagship Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago
Academic Link Primary teaching affiliate of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Regional Reach Multiple hospitals and ambulatory locations across Chicagoland and Northeastern Illinois

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this strictly an oncology-only position or does the clinical scope extend further?
The primary assignment is outpatient oncology. The source description also characterizes the LCSW as an independent generalist clinician responsible for complex psychosocial interventions and plan-of-care facilitation for patient populations throughout the Northwestern Memorial Hospital campus. Candidates should expect a primary oncology focus with additional campus-wide psychosocial responsibilities as assigned.
Does discharge planning form a significant part of the day-to-day work?
Yes. The posting places substantial emphasis on discharge planning, resource utilization, early identification of post-hospital needs, barrier resolution, and coordination of placements or returns to the community, even though the role is titled for outpatient oncology.
What kinds of high-risk situations might I be asked to address?
The role includes crisis intervention and protective services for situations such as suspected abuse or neglect, domestic violence, patients with significant mental-status impairment, guardianship needs, and individuals facing homelessness or unsafe living environments.
Is student supervision expected?
The posting lists provision of graduate-level social work field supervision for students requiring a field placement among the responsibilities.
Are there non-clinical performance expectations?
Yes. The LCSW assists with collection and reporting of case-management indicators (length of stay, avoidable days, discharge barriers, resource utilization, and related metrics) and uses that data to support performance-improvement efforts.
Will a background check be required?
Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history for newly hired team members. Results are reviewed case-by-case in accordance with applicable law, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act.

Social Worker (LCSW) - Outpatient Oncology in Chicago, IL

This full-time, days-based LCSW position is primarily assigned to outpatient oncology services on the Northwestern Memorial Hospital campus in Chicago. The role sits within Northwestern Memorial Healthcare (Northwestern Medicine), an academic health system affiliated with Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The LCSW functions as an independent generalist clinician who performs comprehensive psychosocial assessments, delivers interventions addressing illness adjustment and advanced-care planning, coordinates discharge and resource utilization, and provides crisis and protective services when needed. While the core focus is outpatient oncology patients and families, the position also supports complex psychosocial needs across the broader hospital campus population. Required credentials include an Illinois LCSW license, a master’s degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited program, and a minimum of two years of post-graduate hospital or related experience. Estimated compensation, based on comparable Northwestern Medicine LCSW ranges and local market data, is approximately $74,000–$104,000 annually. The employer notes tuition reimbursement, loan-forgiveness options, 401(k) matching, and lifecycle benefits. Candidates seeking an oncology-centered social work role inside a major academic medical center with substantial care-coordination responsibilities will find the scope clearly defined by the primary outpatient oncology assignment and the additional campus-wide psychosocial duties described in the posting.

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