Social Worker Care and Coordination After a Medical Procedure, Injury, Illness, or Hospitalization in Portland
Medical social workers help ensure that a patient's psychological and social needs are attended to, and that every aspect of a patient's care, from inpatient hospitalization and outpatient rehabilitation, to in-home care coordination, is met. They also ensure that patients are medically able to be discharged from the hospital.Social workers aid patients who are coping with diseases such as cancer or dementia, and who require assistance with an array of services including insurance, in-home health care, psychotherapy, and grief counseling. Social workers provide these resources to both patients and their families.
There are approximately 170,000 medical social workers in the United States. They work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, patient homes, and nursing facilities. A master's degree in social work is usually required to enter the field.
Medical social workers help lower overall health-care costs by ensuring a patient's needs are responded to, and by addressing issues before they grow into problems. They also help to reduce return medical visits. Social workers help a patient to navigate a complex system of health care and facilitate all aspects of care for the patient’s best outcome.
BrightStar Care of Portland works closely with discharge planners, physician offices, and social workers to ensure continuation of care at home after hospitalization.
To learn more about our transitional care services and how we support patient care and treatment at home, please
visit our website.
Source: https://psmag.com/social-justice/more-support-for-medical-social-workers