No abstract

Physicians play a critical gatekeeping function related to psychosocial problem identification and subsequent referral to appropriate hospital or community services. Thirty physicians on staff at a moderate-size, multiservice medical facility were interviewed to determine their perceptions regarding identification of and referral rates for psychosocial problems of their hospitalized patients. In addition to raising questions for further investigation, this article provides a useful structure for gathering data for use by hospital social work departments in developing strategies to enhance physicians' collaboration with hospital social workers.

No abstract

Because of where services are provided, home health care programs offer rich opportunities for incorporating the patient's uniqueness and strengths in treatment planning. Operationalizing these in day-to-day practice may be inhibited by the traditional medical model governing most treatment decisions. A reflective model and strengths perspective are mechanisms which bolster efforts to individualize patient care. A case example illustrates the difference between traditional approaches and alternative opportunities open to the home health care social worker.