INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION IN DISCHARGE PLANNING

Abstract

Social work practice in the hospital setting involves collaboration with various health care professionals. This exploratory study examines collaborative practice in three acute-care hospitals from the perspective of eight medical social workers, with special focus on collaborative practice in the function of discharge planning. The study explores issues on interdisciplinary teamwork, sources of strain among health care professionals and collaborative strategies in an open­ended semi-structured interview, each lasting about an hour. The researcher also participated as an observer in one interdisciplinary ward round session in a neurology ward and a geriatric case conference. An interdisciplinary collaborative discharge planning process model was developed from the study, and a set of collaborative principles were gathered from the medical social workers to guide social work practice with other health care professionals in health settings. The study concluded with the conviction that social work is the most appropriate profession to take up the function of discharge planning.