Social work in restructuring hospitals: meeting the challenge

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Social Work Administration
• Organizational Change

Background:

• North American hospitals are undergoing significant restructuring, shifting from bureaucratic to programmatic models.
• This transformation presents challenges to established organizational structures and service delivery.
• The evolving healthcare landscape necessitates an examination of professional roles within these changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of hospital restructuring on social work services organization and delivery.
• To identify strategies social workers employ to manage organizational change.
• To discuss the implications of program management for the social work profession.

Main Methods:

• A telephone survey was conducted with social workers in Ontario hospitals.
• A semistructured questionnaire was used to gather in-depth information.
• Data analysis focused on issues of control, role definition, and change management.

Main Results:

• Respondents reported challenges related to control over their work and professional roles.
• Social workers identified difficulties in managing structural changes within the new programmatic framework.
• The shift to program management alters traditional social work practice and autonomy.

Conclusions:

• Hospital restructuring significantly influences the organization and delivery of social work services.
• Social workers require adaptive strategies to navigate changes in roles and control under program management.
• The profession must address the implications of programmatic models for social work practice and professional identity.