Research agenda for discharge planning.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Administration
• Social Work Practice
• Hospital Management

Background:

• Discharge planning is increasingly vital for hospital survival due to resource competition.
• This traditional social work role now faces power struggles over control.
• Social workers have historically led discharge planning through tradition and clinical skill.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine key questions surrounding control of discharge planning.
• To propose methods for conducting practice-based research in this area.
• To support social workers in maintaining leadership through evidence-based practice.

Main Methods:

• Literature review on healthcare competition and discharge planning.
• Analysis of power dynamics in hospital social work.
• Proposal of frameworks for practice field studies.

Main Results:

• Discharge planning's elevated status creates interprofessional conflict.
• Evidence-based arguments are necessary for future social work leadership.
• Manageable approaches for practice research are outlined.

Conclusions:

• Social workers need to transition from tradition to data-driven strategies.
• Organizational design informed by research is essential for maintaining control.
• Future success in discharge planning hinges on scientific validation.