An expanded social work role in a university hospital-based group practice: service provider, physician educator and organizational consultant.
This paper reports the development of social work role and functions in a primary medical group practice which was established to replace the general medical clinics of a large urban voluntary teaching hospital in an academic medical center. It traces the shaping and implementation of a role which is functionally integral to the care, teaching and research goals of the practice; is operationalized into its service delivery system; and utilizes a full range of sophisticated social work skills. Along with physicians and nurse practitioners, the social worker is a principal provider of patient care, as well as physician educator and organizational consultant who contributes to coordinated, comprehensive and resource conservative care. Implications for other settings are noted.
D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003253:Consultants; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004501:Education, Medical; D005260:Female; D006123:Group Practice / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006746:Hospital Bed Capacity, 500 and over; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012947:Social Work / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013663:Teaching