"Medical social work is a sub-discipline of social work that addresses social components of medicine. Medical social workers typically work in a hospital, outpatient clinic, community health agency, skilled nursing facility, long-term care facility or hospice."
Social workers involved in chronic illness social work work with clients with long-term, life-threatening, frequently incurable diseases or conditions. Social workers assist clients to adjust, cope with illness, and work to manage their mental health symptoms, navigate medical care and health insurance systems.
Understanding the Types of Chronic Illnesses: An overview of different types of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic pain, and autoimmune diseases.
Psychosocial Aspects of Chronic Illness: An understanding of how chronic illness can affect individuals' psychological and emotional well-being, including depression, anxiety, and stress.
Disability Rights and Advocacy: An introduction to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other disability-related legislation, as well as advocacy strategies for individuals with chronic illnesses.
Cultural Competence in Chronic Illness Social Work: An understanding of how cultural background, beliefs, and values can influence one's experience of chronic illness and how to provide culturally sensitive care.
Care Management and Coordination: An overview of the role of social workers in care management and coordination, including developing care plans, connecting individuals with appropriate resources, and facilitating communication between members of the healthcare team.
Healthcare Navigation: An understanding of the healthcare system, including insurance coverage, benefit eligibility, and accessing care.
Coping Strategies for Chronic Illness: An introduction to coping strategies for individuals with chronic illnesses, including mindfulness, relaxation techniques, and peer support.
Palliative Care and Hospice: An understanding of the roles of palliative care and hospice in chronic illness care and end-of-life care.
Family Dynamics and Support: Understanding the impact of chronic illness on families, as well as interventions that involve family members to improve care.
Ethical Issues in Chronic Illness Social Work: An overview of ethical issues that can arise in chronic illness care, including respecting autonomy, informed consent, and confidentiality.
Cancer: A group of diseases that involve abnormal cell growth and can affect various parts of the body.
Diabetes: A metabolic disorder that affects the way the body processes blood sugar.
Chronic pain: Constant or recurring pain that lasts for more than three months.
Arthritis: A group of conditions that affect the joints, causing pain, stiffness, and inflammation.
Multiple sclerosis: An autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, causing various symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, and loss of coordination.
Fibromyalgia: A chronic pain disorder that causes widespread muscle and joint pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbances.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): A group of lung diseases that cause breathing difficulties and can lead to chronic bronchitis or emphysema.
Heart disease: A range of conditions that affect the heart's ability to function, including heart attack, heart failure, and arrhythmias.
Kidney disease: A condition that affects the kidneys' ability to filter waste and maintain fluid balance in the body.
HIV/AIDS: A viral infection that attacks the immune system and can lead to various health complications.
Parkinson's disease: A progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement and coordination.
Alzheimer's disease: A type of dementia that causes memory loss, confusion, and cognitive decline.
"They work with patients and their families in need of psychosocial help."
"Medical social workers assess the psychosocial functioning of patients and families."
"The role of a medical social worker is to restore balance in an individual’s personal, family and social life, in order to help that person maintain or recover his/her health and strengthen his/her ability to adapt and reintegrate into society."
"Interventions may include connecting patients and families to necessary resources and support in the community... providing psychotherapy, supportive counseling, or grief counseling; or helping a patient to expand and strengthen their network of social supports."
"A medical social worker provides services in three domains: intake and psychosocial assessment, case management and supportive therapy, and discharge planning and ongoing care that extends after hospitalization."
"Professionals in this field typically work with other disciplines such as medicine, nursing, physical, occupational, speech, and recreational therapy."
"To help [the patient] maintain or recover his/her health and strengthen his/her ability to adapt and reintegrate into society."
"Interventions may include connecting patients and families to necessary resources and support in the community such as preventive care."
"Providing psychotherapy, supportive counseling, or grief counseling."
"A medical social worker provides discharge planning and ongoing care that extends after hospitalization."
"Medical social workers typically work in a hospital, outpatient clinic, community health agency, skilled nursing facility, long-term care facility or hospice."
"They work with patients and their families in need of psychosocial help."
"The role of a medical social worker is to 'help that person maintain or recover his/her health and strengthen his/her ability to adapt and reintegrate into society.'"
"A medical social worker provides services in three domains: intake and psychosocial assessment, case management and supportive therapy, and discharge planning and ongoing care that extends after hospitalization."
"Professionals in this field typically work with other disciplines such as medicine, nursing, physical, occupational, speech, and recreational therapy."
"To restore balance in an individual’s personal, family and social life."
"Interventions may include connecting patients and families to necessary resources and support in the community."
"Providing psychotherapy, supportive counseling, or grief counseling."
"A medical social worker provides discharge planning and ongoing care that extends after hospitalization."