Role Overview
The Advanced Therapy Social Work Coordinator serves as a dedicated patient and caregiver advocate
within The Duke Cell and Gene Therapy Center, ensuring that patients can access, navigate, and
complete their treatment journeys with minimal barriers. This role is responsible for patient screening to
identify social, emotional, financial and environmental barriers to care, end-to-end coordination of non-
clinical pre- and post-hospital needs, financial assistance procurement, travel and lodging logistics, and
the maintenance of critical patient records.
The role requires deep familiarity with the patient support ecosystem for complex oncology and
advanced therapy programs, including manufacturer-sponsored assistance programs, institutional
resources, and the nuanced care pathways associated with therapies such as CAR-T, bispecific
antibodies, gene therapies, and others. The Coordinator serves as a consistent, compassionate point of
contact for patients, caregivers, and referring providers, ensuring that no patient is prevented from
receiving a life-changing therapy due to psychological, social, logistical or financial obstacles.
This role requires strong organizational discipline, a detail-oriented mindset, and the interpersonal
ability to deliver white-glove service to patients navigating long and often emotionally and physically
demanding treatment courses. The ideal candidate brings experience operating independently within
complex healthcare environments while also collaborating effectively across clinical, operational, and
administrative teams.
Key Responsibilities
Provide psychosocial assessment of advanced therapy patients and families to identify
emotional, social, financial, and environmental barriers to care and challenges related to their
diagnosis, illness, or treatment
- Conduct patient screening visits prior to patient cell and gene therapy treatments to understand
social barriers to care (e.g., compliance, financial barriers, etc.) and support triage
- Participate in multi-disciplinary health care teams across cell and gene therapy and provide
leadership in representing the clinical social work perspective / liaison with the patient & family
- Arrange, procure, and coordinate comprehensive pre- and post-hospital support for patients
and caregivers, including housing, transportation, meals, and other logistical needs that arise
throughout the advanced therapy treatment journey
- Support patient application for and coordination of travel and lodging resources available
through both Duke Health and individual therapy manufacturers, ensuring patients are aware of
and connected to all available assistance and following up to ensure successful applications
- Own and manage manufacturer-specific application processes for reduced-cost or fully covered
therapies and products, including patient assistance programs, co-pay support, free drug
programs, and related financial resources
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date records and statistics related to patient support activity,
financial coverage secured, assistance program utilization, and outcomes downstream referrals
to psychiatry or other cancer supportive care services
- Actively advocate for the identification and expansion of financial resources to increase
advanced therapy access across patient populations, including engaging with manufacturers,
foundations, and institutional stakeholders to develop and expand available support channels
- Support creation of required non-product clinical workflows in systems such as Epic, identifying
where new products or therapies may need system builds or otherwise to support patient care
- Partner closely with the clinical care team, operations, and social work colleagues to align non-
clinical coordination efforts with the overall patient care plan
- Share insights from patient interactions and program gaps to support internal quality
improvement and advocacy efforts
Qualifications
- Current licensure as a licensed clinical social work (LCSW) b the NC Social Work Certification and
Licensure Board
- Adherence to the practice standards and ethical guidelines of NASW and the NC Certification
Board for Social Work
- Masters degree in social work from an accredited school of social work, two years of clinical
social work experience post masters' are preferred
- 5–7+ years of experience in a non-clinical healthcare coordination function, such as social work,
care navigation, patient access coordination, financial counseling, or a related field within a
health system or specialty care environment
- Deep knowledge of patient scheduling, coordination, and support tools, including proficiency
with Epic EHR systems and related patient management platforms
- Demonstrated experience with cell and gene therapies or other advanced or complex oncology
treatments, including CAR-T, bispecific antibodies, theranostics, or adjacent care pathways such
as bone marrow transplant
- Familiarity with manufacturer patient assistance programs, co-pay support structures, and the
financial assistance landscape for high-cost specialty therapies
- Strong organizational skills and a detail-oriented approach, with the ability to manage multiple
concurrent cases and administrative workflows without compromising service quality
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage compassionately and
credibly with patients, caregivers, referring providers, manufacturer representatives, and
internal clinical teams
- Proven ability to excel in an independent, self-directed role that requires proactive problem-
solving, strong follow-through, and personal ownership of outcomes for patients
- Experience maintaining accurate records, compiling program statistics, and contributing to
reporting that informs operational and advocacy decisions
Preferred Experience
Experience working within an academic medical center, NCI-designated cancer center, or health
system with a dedicated cell and gene therapy or bone marrow transplant program
- Direct experience navigating manufacturer hub programs, specialty pharmacy coordination, or
integrated support services for advanced oncology therapies
- Background in social work, financial counseling, or case management with exposure to indigent
care, foundations, or government assistance programs as they relate to oncology
- Comfortable working cross-functionally with physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and
operations teams in a fast-paced, high-acuity clinical environment
- Prior experience in an early-stage or evolving treatment area within healthcare where building
new processes and structures from the ground up is expected
