Medical social workers play a vital role in the patient-care team.  Their services may include:

• Education regarding alternative living arrangements
• Case management
• Advance directives (Power of Attorney for Health Care or Living Will)
• Community resource planning and coordination
• Short-term therapy
• Crisis intervention
• Financial assessment
• Counseling with life-style changes
• Teaching regarding coping with loss and change
• Grief counseling

They may:

• conduct a thorough psychosocial assessment to help determine patient needs and identify any limitations, barriers, or safety issues that might impede recovery
• educate patients and families regarding community resources and assist with long range planning including advance directives, and overall care options.