March is National Social Work month. Medical social work can be traced back to 1905 when Dr. Richard Cabot hired the first medical social worker at Mass General Hospital. He formed a social work program that by today’s standards would focus on social determinants of health and health equity. The first medical social workers went into neighborhoods and homes to “assess the environmental and educational factors that influenced the health of his patients. Root causes of the patient’s problems were addressed rather than just treating the symptoms1.”
Today, social workers can be found at every point along the healthcare continuum. They are employed by hospitals, clinics, mental health centers, rehabilitation programs, community health centers, nursing, and assisted living facilities as well as in home health and hospice agencies. Their education ranges from a bachelor’s degree to doctoral degrees. They work individually with patients and their families as well as in groups. They also work at the local, state, and federal levels to ensure that public policy reflects healthcare needs. You can find them in independent practice or part of an interdisciplinary care team.
Social workers in healthcare are responsible for assessing the individual needs of the patient and family. They provide counseling and support to help cope with the emotional, physical, spiritual, and financial impact of illness. They connect people to resources in the community to help address unmet needs as well as help to transition to the next level of care in someone’s health journey.
Look around your healthcare system to see where your social workers are employed. Did you know many social workers have specialized training and certification in their respective area? Healthcare certification includes Certification in Thanatology, Certified Addiction Specialist, Qualified Mental Health Professional, Certified Clinical Transplant Social Worker, Advanced Palliative and Hospice Social Worker Certified, Certified Social Work Case Manager, Certified Social Worker in Health Care, Diplomate in Clinical Social Work, Integrated Healthcare Certificate, Medical Social Work Certified, Nephrology Social Worker Certification, Oncology Social Work Certification, and Social Worker in Gerontology. Go ahead, ask what the alphabet is after their name to learn more about their dedication and commitment to helping patients and families in healthcare settings.
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- The First Medical Social Workers. Richard C. Cabot, M.D. https://richardcabot.weebly.com/the-first-medical-social-workers.html
