Which professional holds a licence and is increasingly important as healthcare becomes more complex, resolving financial, housing, psychosocial and employment problems, performing discharge planning and assisting clients in transfers between facilities?

Which professional holds a licence and is increasingly important as healthcare becomes more complex, resolving financial, housing, psychosocial and employment problems, performing discharge planning and assisting clients in transfers between facilities?

• A. Nurse Case Managers
• B. Physician (MD)
• C. Physician Assistant
• D. Social Worker

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is the role of social workers in healthcare. Social workers are trained to address the non-medical barriers that influence health outcomes—things like finances, housing, psychosocial support, and employment—resolving these issues to support a safe and effective care plan. They are licensed professionals, and their licensure reflects standardized standards for practice. In hospital or long-term care settings, social workers often take the lead in discharge planning and coordinating transfers between facilities, ensuring patients have access to community resources, and helping families navigate complex arrangements after a medical event. While physician assistants and physicians focus on medical treatment and nurse case managers coordinate overall care, the social worker’s scope uniquely encompasses these social determinants and the practical aspects of moving a patient through the care system.

The main idea here is the role of social workers in healthcare. Social workers are trained to address the non-medical barriers that influence health outcomes—things like finances, housing, psychosocial support, and employment—resolving these issues to support a safe and effective care plan. They are licensed professionals, and their licensure reflects standardized standards for practice. In hospital or long-term care settings, social workers often take the lead in discharge planning and coordinating transfers between facilities, ensuring patients have access to community resources, and helping families navigate complex arrangements after a medical event. While physician assistants and physicians focus on medical treatment and nurse case managers coordinate overall care, the social worker’s scope uniquely encompasses these social determinants and the practical aspects of moving a patient through the care system.