special subjects
Hospital Care Team Members
Social workers
Social workers provide support, information, and education. They help people prepare for discharge from the hospital by identifying and arranging helpful services that can be provided in the home and community. For example, they may refer people to a skilled nursing facility if people are not well enough to return home and need ongoing care and therapy after discharge from the hospital. Social workers also coordinate certain home health care needs, including a visiting nurse or physical therapist and medical equipment such as wheelchairs and hospital beds. 