A New Look at Home Care and the Hospital Social Worker

Clinical, administrative and social action reasons for expanding social work services in hospital based home care programs are persuasive. Hospital departments of social work should consider carefully how they may expand services in home care and coordinate and integrate such activities with social work and discharge planning processes occurring throughout the hospital. It is necessary for social work leadership to be present on professional advisory, quality assurance and similar committees and to use these committees as arenas for expanding the social work role in home care.