Social Work Admission Assessment Tool for identifying patients in need of comprehensive social work evaluation.
Early identification of patients who need a social work evaluation is integral to effective discharge planning. This article describes the development and application of the Social Work Admission Assessment Tool (SWAAT), a six-item scale that identifies patients with complicated discharge needs who require a social work evaluation. It addresses ambulation, mental status, living situation, current social services, self-perceived need for additional services, and need for assistance in going home. Based on their scores, patients are categorized as having low, intermediate, or high need. A greater proportion of high-need patients were discharged with services and had prolonged hospitalizations (p = .0001). The SWAAT is a comprehensive needs assessment tool that may facilitate discharge planning and improve quality of care.
Boutin-Foster
Carla
C
Division of General Internal Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA. cboutin@med.cornell.edu
Euster
Sona
S
Rolon
Yvette
Y
Motal
Athena
A
BeLue
Rhonda
R
Kline
Robin
R
Charlson
Mary E
ME
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D010351:Patient Discharge; D012947:Social Work