Acting as an integral part of our multidisciplinary teams at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, our oncology social workers and case managers are available to patients and their families throughout all phases of the cancer journey to help adapt to the stresses related to your diagnosis.

How We Can Help

For patients with a new cancer diagnosis, an oncology social worker can:

  • Provide emotional support in dealing with a new diagnosis
  • Help with decision making and advance care planning
  • Make referrals to community resources
  • Present suggestions for helping patients and their families achieve and regain a sense of control in their lives.

For patients with advanced disease, the oncology social worker can:

  • Help provide decision making around end-of-life issues
  • Provide ongoing support, comfort and resources for patients and their families

Social work services include:

  • Adjustment to illness/crisis counseling and support
  • Support groups/educational workshops
  • Information and referrals to community resources and programs (i.e., transportation, housing, financial, legal, Medicaid/Medicare, SSI/SSD)
  • Assistance with decision making and problem solving (i.e., advance care planning, guardianship, placements)
  • Advocacy

Care management services include:

Care Management Specialists (CMS) are registered nurses (RNs) who work hand-in-hand with patients, their families, caregivers, medical staff and the community. A CMS makes certain that an appropriate plan of care is developed to meet the homecare needs of Karmanos patients. Most times, a CMS works with a social worker to address complex patient care needs. 

  • Communicating and collaborating with your multidisciplinary team to address specialized and/or complicated patient care needs
  • Coordinating and facilitating home care, IV infusion and durable medical equipment needs of patients when referred by a member of the multidisciplinary team
  • Working with insurance companies to solidify plans to meet the patient’s homecare needs
  • Educating patients, families and caregivers regarding the importance of following the plan of care

For more information about Karmanos’ Care Management Services, please call 1-800-KARMANOS, or email info@karmanos.org.

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