17.2% of US’s gross national product was spent on health care in 2011. In 2013 the number of health care social workers was 141,000. (Lecture)
Social work is involved at various levels of prevention.
These levels include primary (health education, immunizations, prenatal and post natal care), Secondary (early screening for disease, etc) and Tertiary, which prevents further complications in disease. Social workers are superheroes! (Lecture)
Social work in health care can occur on the micro, mezzo and macro levels.
From assessing the patients’ biopsychosocial needs, act as a liaison between an organization and community, and advocating for policy change, social workers working in health care take a variety on a variety of different roles and responsibilities. (DiNitto & McNeece, 2008)
The American Hospital Association reports they have social work services in 75% of their hospitals. (lecture)
According to lecture, having social workers in the hospital may be more efficient for managing health care costs and for earlier intervention regarding access to outpatient care for whatever a patient is dealing with.
In the past, Social work has a “professional spirit” but wasn’t considered a profession.
People who worked in this field in the past were not considered to be in a profession because they did not have the correct communication and education to be considered true professionals. They modeled themselves after medicine to build a more professional model. (lecture)
DiNitto, D., & McNeece, C. (2008). Social Work Issues and Opportunities in a Challenging Profession (3rd ed., p. 205). Chicago: Lyceum Inc.
SW 250 at Binghamton University 