Where are social workers co-located with primary care physicians?

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Social Work in Healthcare
• Integrated Behavioral Healthcare (IBH)

Background:

• Integrated Behavioral Healthcare (IBH) models emphasize collaborative care for physical, behavioral, and social determinants of health.
• Co-location of services within primary care settings is a critical component of effective IBH delivery.
• Limited data exists on the prevalence of social workers co-located with primary care physicians (PCPs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the national rates of social worker co-location with primary care physicians.
• To identify factors influencing social worker co-location within primary care settings.
• To establish a benchmark for the growth of IBH and inform future workforce planning.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES).
• Included data for 232,021 social workers and 380,690 PCPs.
• Geocoded practice addresses and calculated straight-line distances to assess co-location.

Main Results:

• Over 26% of social workers were found to be co-located with a PCP.
• Co-location rates were significantly lower in rural settings (21%, p < .001).
• Co-location varied based on PCP practice size, specialty, and geographic state.

Conclusions:

• The study provides a benchmark for the expansion of IBH nationally.
• Continued monitoring of social worker co-location is essential for aligning workforce planning with evolving care models.
• Mechanisms to support social work education and health systems are needed to boost IBH implementation.