What is a Social Worker?
A healthcare social worker offers assistance and resources to individuals, organizations, or families that are struggling to deal with chronic, acute, or terminal disease. They aid clients in getting quality treatment and encourage health. They act as an advocate for the care and wellbeing of their clients to resolve significant issues or crises.
Patients and families frequently require the assistance of a healthcare social worker to get them started on community programs that can help them recover from physical or mental illnesses and to make sure they are aware of other services like housing options, legal counsel, financial aid, education opportunities, and employment opportunities.
A healthcare social worker could set up support groups or educate the patient about the organizations that already exist. They may also oversee the service's completion and organize the patient's care and rehabilitation. The healthcare social worker would adjust their plan if a patient's condition changed. They keep track of developments, study environmental factors that can obstruct a patient's recovery, and continue to assess and monitor the situation.
Duties
- Evaluate mental and emotional health.
- Assess social, family, and/or financial circumstances.
- Communicate patient information to stakeholders on a patient’s health team
- Patients and their families should receive counseling or psychotherapy.
- Maintain confidential patient records.
- Connect patients and their families with non-medical and medical resources.
- Coordinate patient care in collaboration with health team stakeholders.
Types of Medical Social Workers
Inpatient Medical Social Workers
Inpatient medical social workers are social workers who work in hospitals and medical facilities and offer specialized social services to patients with acute or chronic illnesses that need hospitalization. While some inpatient medical social workers remain in a single medical department or unit, many of them shift across a number of them.
Outpatient Medical Social Workers
Outpatient medical social workers assist patients who are either transferring from hospital treatment to outpatient care or their home but do not require hospitalization but still need medical attention and advice. These patients usually have difficulties akin to those experienced by hospitalized patients and need services akin to those provided to them, such as care coordination, counseling, and resource navigation help.
Centers & Institutes
Healthcare Delivery by Social Workers in the US
Patients battling chronic illnesses require more than just prescription medicines; they also need assistance minimizing their stress and the difficulties of managing their therapies. Medical social workers are a lifeline, helping patients and their families deal with receiving treatment and keeping them afloat. Patients leaving the hospital can require specific equipment, meal delivery, and home care. Healthcare social workers assist in setting up those services and putting patients in touch with financial aid as well.
Additionally, they could set up housing, employment assistance, or educational support services. These social workers take care of the physical requirements as well as provide emotional and psychological support. As patients recover from illness and acclimate to changes in their lives, they offer counseling. These social workers carry out investigations and, if necessary, take protective measures when there are suspicions of child abuse or neglect.
This occupation requires a lot of critical thinking, patience, and emotional fortitude. In hospitals, nursing homes, and mental health facilities, as well as in doctors ’ offices and community health clinics, healthcare social workers collaborate with other healthcare professionals. The majority of positions in this sector require a master's degree in social work as well as a state license. Healthcare social workers enable patients to have confidence that, at a time when they may feel most vulnerable, they have a support system to provide them with hope and guidance.
Are you looking for a Social Worker who will care for you? Our medical professionals at KellySearch create personalized strategies for each patient and/or their family. We have over 700k doctor listings on the website because our doctors want to give each client their undivided attention. They are also trustworthy and compassionate. Additionally, they are always available for conversation with anyone!
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The material presented above is only meant to be informative and is not intended to take the place of advice from your doctor or another health care practitioner. We advise you to talk to your provider about any questions or issues you may have.
