The Benefits of Deploying Palliative Care Social Workers in Hospital Emergency Departments (EDs)
An article published in Palliative Care News covers how embedding palliative care-trained social workers in hospital emergency departments effectively serves vulnerable populations, including older adults with serious illness, who accounted for over 20% of emergency department visits in the United States from 2014 to 2017. If incorporated, palliative care social workers can address complex needs, facilitate goals-of-care discussions, connect patients with family support, and contribute to positive outcomes, such as reduced hospitalizations and cost savings.