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Field Description
Medical social services professionals help individuals, couples
and families cope with the social, psychological, cultural and medical
issues resulting from an illness. Professionals in medical social
services also help patients fully utilize medical care and services
by:
- Explaining health-care resources and policies
to patients, family and professional staff.
- Helping plan for post-hospital patient needs
by arranging for services at another facility or in the home.
- Explaining to patients the epidemiology of diseases,
including social environment risk factors.
- Helping patients and families receive needed
follow-up care by referral to health-care resources.
- Understanding the social, cultural and religious
variables that contribute to patients' responses to illness and
their use of health-care resources.
- Providing advocacy through appropriate organizations.
Medical social workers may help patients with advance directives
and other long-term care issues. They assure that patients’
medically related emotional and social needs are met and maintained
throughout their medical treatment.
The following programs are offered:
Career Opportunities
Medical social services professionals work in health-care settings
that include hospital medical social services, health-care administration,
employee assistance programs and health maintenance organizations
(HMOs).
Medical social workers are employed in hospitals, outpatient medical
facilities, hospices, rehabilitation facilities, physician group
practices, skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes and home health
agencies.
Employment of social workers is expected to grow faster than average
through the year 2006, increasing by nearly 25 percent per year.
The number of older people who are likely to need social services
is rapidly growing.
Earning Potential
Nationally, salaries for medical social workers vary depending on
the employer and geographic location. On average, medical social
workers earn approximately $38,000 per year. Salaries are competitive
with other professions that require similar levels of education.
Online Information
Visit the following Web site for more information on medical social
services:
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