Social Work Services
Eliminating Barriers to Patient Care
PCI Social Work Team
To learn more about a member of PCI's Social Work Team, choose a social worker below.
 Erika Flippin, LMSW Social Worker |
 Stacie Nevins, LCSW Social Worker |
 Heather Sewell, LMSW Social Worker |
Social Work in Oncology?
A cancer diagnosis is life altering and stressful to say the least. Cancer is so much more than doctor visits and treatments. People are surprised when they find out oncology services can include Social Worker services.
Social Workers utilize various therapeutic techniques to assess patient's current needs to determine most appropriate intervention to eliminate barriers to care. Help in providing resources for patients for financial assistance (grant opportunities, state funded services, copay assistance etc.), communicating with your family (children) about cancer, counseling services (individual, group and family), PCI Caregiver Support Groups, and potentially the patient's interest in SSDI for income replacement.
A social worker will also implement high risk protocol if a safety intervention (endorsing SI/HI or suspected abuse) is needed.
What Might be a Barrier to Care?
- Transportation
- Suicidal Ideations
- Caregiver Support
- Financial Burdens
- Identifying Support Networks
- Health Insurance
- Depression/Anxiety
- Body Image
- End of Life Planning
Consider This
A 45-year-old patient is diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. She has three children and has been out of work for approximately one month while healing from breast surgery. She discloses that she is struggling to communicate her diagnosis with her children and is also having a difficult time coping with her prognosis. She mentions bills are piling up and she is unsure how she is going to put food on the table while paying for cancer treatment simultaneously. This is where social work services can help.
At Piedmont Cancer Institute, we provide our oncology patients and caregivers comprehensive psychosocial services and programs through all phases of the cancer experience. Hematology patients are also able to be referred to the Social Work Department for assessment of needs and will be supplied with resources they are eligible for at the time of service.
Always share with your provider about the concerns you have. Your provider can refer you to our Social Work department.
