Texas Health Resources - The Business of Healthcare

The Business of Health Care Report
The Role of Social Workers in Health Care - March 2002

I'm Doug Hawthorne, President and CEO of Texas Health Resources, with "The Business of Health Care Report" on News Radio 1080 KRLD. Today's report continues our focus on the roles of health care workers, emphasizing the importance of social workers in health care delivery.

Last year, there were about 470,000 professionally trained social workers employed in the United States, with about a fourth of those in the medical and public health areas.

If health care can be thought of as a quilt with providers joining together to provide comfort and care, then social workers are the thread of that quilt, helping patients and their family members cope.

Stress, anxiety and depression often can make recovery more difficult for the patient and the family. And in the many cases, when long-term care is required after the hospital stay is complete, stress on caregivers can be overwhelming.

These situations, among many more, are where social workers shine. They counsel patients and family members on a diverse array of subjects, including financial and end-of-life issues, often being a primary information source.

They also help plan for patients' needs after they leave the hospital - called discharge planning - by arranging for in-home services, such as Meals-on-Wheels and oxygen equipment. And they serve as patient advocates in countless other ways -- helping arrange for movement to other facilities when necessary and by providing support to referred patients and their families from out of the area, who frequently are bewildered by new surroundings and in need of a helping hand.

Social workers also assist patients during their recovery by consulting with other health-care team members to keep everyone informed of changes in mental status, caregiver support or other factors that could affect the patient's health and recovery.

It's comforting to know that when we're sick or injured, these unsung heroes of health care are there at our side.

For Texas Health Resources and its family of hospitals - Harris Methodist Hospitals, Presbyterian Healthcare System and Arlington Memorial Hospital - I'm CEO Doug Hawthorne with "The Business of Health Care Report" on NewsRadio 1080 KRLD.

Archives | Close Window