Pros
- Acceptable benefit packages, depending on where you live. Note that there will be differences between metro and rural areas. - Facility Administrators are usually flexible regarding in-clinic hours as long as patients are seen and work is completed. - Local (not corporate) management cares about work-life balance. - Good MSW training and onboarding until corporate makes a change (best onboarding I've ever seen for an MSW). - Local management strives to maintain a ratio of 1 MSW to 110 patients. - MSW has face-to-face communication with patients (weekly-monthly). - Communication between staff members and MSW regarding patient care. - Depending on the Facility Administrator, hourly wage and reimbursement are available for continuing education (see cons for further information).
Cons
- Currently (3/2024), no one in Washington State corporate leadership (regional/division) is an independently licensed social worker in WA State who can provide oversight and/or supervision. - Too much insurance work gets assigned to MSW without support. - Must be an expert on Medicaid in Washington State and must manage all American Kidney Fund and Kidney Disease Program clients. - While DaVita employs insurance counselors 80%-90% of insurance work will be done by the MSW. - MSW will do all transplant insurance work as Insurance Counselors (per current policy) will not assist with finding the best insurance for transplant candidates. - MSWs may find DaVita to be discriminatory because Insurance Counselors only work with commercial insurance/private pay and will not work with Medicare, Medicaid, or other government-based insurance. - Expect a 2-year RN to be paid more than the MSW. - Depending on the Facility Administrator, you must take PTO and pay out of pocket for continuing education (this can be interpreted as discriminatory because DaVita doesn't provide enough MSW CEUs internally to meet yearly Washington State requirements - In contrast, RNs and PCTs are provided a full internal curriculum to meet their yearly CEUs). - The current performance motivation initiative is seen as demeaning by experienced MSWs. The slight increase in compensation might be worth the extra responsibility and stress for the new hire but, it is not worth it for the experienced employee. - Corporate policy doesn't take state laws into account. - Current regional leadership is all from retail and none of them have any healthcare management experience.