Patient Services

A.  SOCIAL WORK SERVICES PROVIDED:

1.      Psychosocial Histories and Assessments

A psychosocial history involves the Social Worker meeting with the patient and/or family/support members to obtain pertinent medical/psychological and social information that will assist the medical team in developing a comprehensive treatment and discharge plan for the patient.  The information obtained includes, but is not limited to, family constellation, living arrangements, education/ employment, financial/insurance, support system, and the impact of the illness/hospitalization on the patient and family system.

After obtaining a psychosocial history, the Social Worker will provide resource information and recommendations based on the information obtained to the patient, family/support system, and medical team, to assure a comprehensive, effective post hospitalization plan for the patient.

2.      Resources and Referrals/Discharge Planning  

Social Work assists patients and family in making discharge plans consistent with your physician’s recommendations, insurance company’s requirements and your own needs.

Discharge planning begins at the point of admission.  Social Workers are involved in assisting with assessment of needs, learning what resources are currently in place, being able to assist the patient and family in understanding the potential impact of illness on patient’s daily activities, and making recommendations to address that impact.  Discharge planning may involve some or all of the following:  assessment, counseling, consultation with physicians and staff, referral for services after discharge, arranging transportation for transfers to other facilities and coordination of the implementation of such plans.  

The Social Work Department maintains a library of reference material for agencies, programs, and support groups addressing a wide variety of healthcare and psychosocial needs.  Patients, families, employees and staff, as well as members of the community at large can request assistance from department staff in locating resources to meet their needs.  Members of the department can assist by making referrals, contacting the appropriate resource on behalf of the individual to begin the process.

Discharge Resources

Planning for a safe discharge begins very soon after the admission for many patients. Social Work assists with identifying resources that enable patients to return to their previous or present level of function.

These resources include referrals to everything from home nursing to facilities where patients can increase their strength and promote healing. Facilities that can serve as a "bridge" to home include acute and sub-acute rehabilitation and skilled nursing facilities. Social Work can help families choose sites that are convenient and appropriate.

If there are no skilled nursing needs apparent (i.e., dressing changes, PT/OT), but a patient simply needs some assistance/supervision at home to accomplish activities of daily living (ADLs), Social Work can provide a list of private duty nurses to offer homemaker/custodial care. Social Work can also make referrals to community agencies such as the Department of Aging to also enhance patients functioning at home.

Finally, Social Work can assist with transportation to a facility or home via medicar, public transportation, ambulance or cab.

3.     Counseling/Support

Social Workers, with their background in individual and family functioning as well as individual-in-situation perspective, are often in a unique position to assist patients and families come to terms with illness. Social Workers can serve as a sounding board to patients or family members as they are seeking to understand the Significance of a new diagnosis or changes in the severity of a previously diagnosed condition.  Social Workers not only make recommendations about discharge plans, but support the patient and/or family through the decision making process.  This counseling and support is most evident when illness impacts ability to function independently, raises issues of death and dying, significantly changes in body image, or results in a life-long condition that will require coping skills.

Support Groups

Members of the Social Work Department serve as facilitators for a number of support groups designed to meet the needs of specific patient populations.  The role of the Social Worker is to assist group members in keeping focused on issues the group is designed to address.  The Social Worker provides professional guidance as group members seek to learn from and teach each other means of coping with illness and/or loss.  A list of support groups available through LUMC is available elsewhere on the site.

4.    Patient Education

Social Workers are committed to individuals and families having a clear understanding of the illness that is effecting them, its cause (if known), treatment options that might be available, and potential impact on ability to function. Social Workers will provide information that the patient and family can utilize to gain more knowledge about their illness, resources available, and when possible, provide information to increase coping skills in the face of illness. Social Workers provide patient education in conjunction with physicians, nurses, and therapists as needs indicate.

Coping Skills

Part of Loyola University Medical Center’s mission in healing the human spirit involves assessing and supporting emotional wellness.  A hospital admission is as much emotional as it is physical.

Social Work offers one-on-one supportive counseling around:
a.       the crisis of an unexpected admission;
b.      the adjustment to a new diagnosis coping with chronic illness.
c.       Coping with chronic illness

 Sometimes coping is complicated by addictive behaviors involving alcohol and/or illicit drugs.  Social Work can help support patients around their decision to make a positive life change and pursuing treatment can provide referral sources for both inpatient and outpatient treatment.

 Additionally, mental health can be compromised.  Our group of psychiatric Social Workers can assess, support and refer patients for therapy and/or medications.

Parenting

In the Spring and Fall, Social Work helps facilitate a new parent group, where parents can bring infants, birth to six months, for a question and answer session by a Loyola University Medial Center staff pediatrician.  Topics have included growth development, tips on nurturing and recognizing symptoms of childhood illness.

B.  CHILD/LIFE SERVICES PROVIDED:

• Therapeutic and recreational program for inpatient pediatric patients to relieve and limit potential anxiety and stress associated with hospitalization, illness and treatment procedures.

C.  HOSPITAL SCHOOL PROGRAM SERVICES PROVIDED:

Provide appropriate educational support to all school age patients, hospitalized at Loyola University Medical Center and the Ronald McDonald Children’s Hospital.

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Date last reviewed 03/09/05