What Do Hospice Social Workers Do?

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There are a lot of different professionals that come together to build a Las Vegas hospice services care team. Of course, there are the medical professionals. There are also people to help with spiritual and emotional matters. One professional on the hospice team that many are not aware of is the hospice social worker.
This professional is an unsung hero. The hospice social worker is a certified medical MSW that specializes in dealing with the things no one else on the hospice care team can. These professionals receive in depth training about care during a patient’s last days. They are also experts in areas like ethnic diversity and the cultural differences in how families interact on different levels.
Another thing that makes this professional invaluable is that she is an expert in the many different ways that a patient can manage symptoms. Since hospice care is all about improving the quality of the life a patient has left, this is an important expertise to have available to patients. Patients want to know that their comfort and well-being are a priority being handled by someone who knows what they are doing.

Benefits of a MSW

Aside from those already listed, there are many benefits to having an experienced medical social worker as a part of your hospice care Nevada team. A few of them include:

  • An ability to readily identify all needs a patient may have and provide support as needed to the patient and the family. This includes emotional and spiritual support. The MSW is adept at finding the best ways to provide the necessary services to the patient.
  • An ability to help with the accurate completion of things like insurance paperwork and legal matters that affect the end of one’s life. This includes things like do not resuscitate orders.
  • An ability to help a family make informed decisions regarding a patient’s care by helping them stay focused on what their overall goals are.
  • An MSW can help a family track down available resources that can be helpful when dealing with medical bills that never seem to end.

Once the patient passes away, the benefits of having a medical social worker do not end. An MSW can help your family plan the funeral and tie up any loose legal ends. Since most families tend to be emotionally distraught after a death, it is helpful to have someone in your Las Vegas hospice services care team to help manage the details.
Under most circumstances, your hospice care team will have one MSW assigned to it it. He or she will be responsible for providing for your needs for the entire time you’re in hospice care. As the MSW builds a relationship with you and your family, you have to decide if he or she is a good fit. If not, request someone else. This person will be dealing with very intimate family matters so you deserve to have someone you trust.
When you choose Las Vegas hospice services, you also choose an MSW. The best choice you can make is to choose ProCare Hospice of Nevada because they strive to give patients the best experience possible. For more information about the hospice care Nevada trusts, contact 702.380.8300.

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8025 Amigo Street
Las Vegas, Nevada 89123

Phone: (702) 380.8300
Fax: (702) 380.8302

Back To Top

8025 Amigo Street
Las Vegas, Nevada 89123

Phone: (702) 380.8300
Fax: (702) 380.8302

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Dr. Cara Goo, D.O

Dr. Cara Goo, D.O. completed her Family Medicine residency at Guthrie Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton, NY where she first became interested in Palliative Medicine and its application in the clinic and the hospital. She is a graduate of Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Pacific College of Health and Science, where she trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture, and herbs. In fellowship, she hopes to bridge osteopathic and integrative medicine with palliative care. 

Dr. Iryna Kobita, MD

Iryna Kobita recently completed her Internal Medicine Residency at The Valley Health System in Las Vegas and is pleased to continue her medical training in Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Prior to relocating to the United States, she practiced medicine in Ukraine, bringing valuable international clinical experience to her work. Iryna looks forward to contributing to the program, building strong professional relationships, and continuing to grow as a physician. Outside of medicine, she enjoys traveling, spending time outdoors, and being with family and friends.

Dr. Diana Lee, MD

Dr. Diana Lee graduated from Capital Medical University in Beijing, China, in 1991. Following graduation, she completed five years of pediatric residency training at Beijing Children's Hospital, one of the largest and most prestigious pediatric hospitals in China.

After relocating to the United States, she completed her second residency training program in Internal Medicine at Greater Baltimore Medical Center in 2004. She then worked as a hospitalist with Mercy Medical Group in Sacramento, California, for 10 years, before moving to Las Vegas to join Platinum Hospitalist Group, where she currently practices.

After earning her ABIM board certification in Hospice and Palliative Medicine in 2012, Dr. Lee focused her career on this specialty. In 2017, she established the first hospital-based inpatient palliative care consultation service in Las Vegas at St. Rose Dominican Siena Hospital. Under her leadership, this initiative expanded from a single-physician service into a multidisciplinary team of four palliative care physicians and 12 nurse practitioners, providing consultations across eight hospitals in Las Vegas. She has also served as the program director for the OPTI-West Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship since 2021.

Dr. Lee is dedicated to advancing patient-centered palliative care through clinical excellence, program development, education, and collaboration. As the founder of one of the region's largest inpatient palliative care programs, she continues to expand access to specialty services and improve care for patients with serious illnesses throughout Southern Nevada.

Dr. Dan Miulli, DO, MS, FACOS

Graduate of Midwestern University-CCOM and completed Neurosurgical Residency Training at Allegheny General Hospitals receiving diploma from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Board certified in Neurological Surgery and Neurocritical Care. Practices Neurosurgery in Southern California. Is the Designated Institutional Official, Chief Academic Officer, and CEO of OPTI-West Educational Consortium and Sponsoring Institution.