Hospital social work: contemporary roles and professional activities

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Social Work in Healthcare
• Hospital Administration

Background:

• Hospital social work has evolved significantly since the early 1900s.
• Environmental changes in hospitals, including Diagnostic Related Groups (DRGs), reengineering, and healthcare reform, necessitate evaluating social work's role.
• The efficacy and value of hospital social workers require ongoing substantiation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the current roles and activities of social workers in acute hospital settings nationwide.
• To assess the impact of healthcare reengineering on hospital social work practices.
• To provide data for substantiating the value and efficacy of hospital social workers.

Main Methods:

• A national survey of social workers in acute hospital settings.
• Data collection on current roles and activities post-reengineering.
• Analysis of social worker involvement in various practice areas.

Main Results:

• The primary role identified for social workers is discharge planning.
• Respondents reported minimal involvement in practice-based research.
• Income-generating activities were also found to be outside the scope of most respondents' roles.

Conclusions:

• Hospital social work's focus has largely centralized on discharge planning.
• The impact of healthcare reforms and reengineering has shaped current social work practices.
• Further research may be needed to explore expanding social work roles in research and revenue-generating areas within hospitals.