[If students have read information on social work in a medical setting (e.g., Skidmore, Thackeray, Farley, Smith, & Boyle, 2000):] What was Diana’s role, as a social worker, at Holland Community Hospital (HCH)? What did discharge planning include? Who funded these services?

Question

While working as a medical social worker at Holland Community Hospital, Diana Howard, BSW, received a referral to coordinate home health services for patient Joshua Mitchell. Mr. Mitchell had been admitted to the hospital repeatedly after failing to make use of home health services set up for him in the past. In order for Mr. Mitchell to be released from the hospital he had to have a discharge plan from Diana. However, Diana was unsure what course to take as the medical staff pushed for his release and Diana searched for a way to provide services that Mr. Mitchell would use.

Answer 1

Diana’s role included assisting doctors and nurses in discharge planning, providing referrals for clients to needed services, and assisting child protective services in conducting child abuse investigations. Social workers in a hospital may also assist and support the patient and family with utilizing medical services, collaborate with medical teams in an interdisciplinary manner to improve hospital services, provide referrals and linkages for the patient to community resources, and “assess the patient’s psychological and environmental strengths and weaknesses” (Skidmore, Thackeray, Farley, Smith, & Boyle, 2000, p. 167). The nature of the hospital setting often would result in short-term relationships between the social worker and clients.
Discharge planning involves developing a plan for the dismissal of the patient from the hospital, including arranging and providing referrals for services to be used after dismissal. Often these services would include arranging home health care, visiting nurse, rental medical equipment, or homemaker services. The hospital funds the social workers’ services to the patients and their families, but funding for services after hospital dismissal would be paid for by insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or the patient and their family.