Effects of Social Work Intervention on Nonemergent Pediatric Emergency Department Utilization

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether social work intervention would reduce nonemergent visits to the emergency department and increase scheduled pediatric visits. A high-risk repeater group of 104 pediatric patients with three or more emergency department visits was randomly selected to receive social work intervention. Control and intervention groups were compared for inappropriate emergency department utilization and scheduled primary care visits. Pre- and postintervention emergency department visits were significantly reduced in the intervention group compared with the group that received no intervention and with prior utilization. Scheduled visits declined in the control group but increased by 26 percent in the intervention group.

Factors Related to Admissions to a Psychiatry Unit from a Medical Emergency Room: The Role of Social Work

“…More recently, Garces (2005) studied the social work role in four urban hospital medical emergency rooms and reported that family and patient counseling played an important part in assigning dispositions. Social work interventions in pediatric emergency rooms for non-emergent cases reduced subsequent visits when compared to a non-social work control group (Ross et al, 2004).…”

“…When social workers are involved in the admission process, they typically meet with families, assess families' abilities to care for patients in the home, find referrals, and access outpatient treatment. Several studies have reported that social workers are both effective and efficient in their work in emergency departments (Gordon, 2001;Ross, Roberts, Campbell, Solomon, & Brouhard, 2004).…”

Non-urgent pediatric emergency department utilization - A case review

“…Lack of continuity of care for this toddler may have endangered her wellbeing as well as increased antibiotic resistance. Pediatric patients who have greater than three ED visits per year for non-urgent health issues are at greater risk of not following up with the PCP and are more likely to be continued repeat ED users for non-urgent health care [6] . This case study exemplifies the stalemate.…”

“…Ross et al [6] investigated whether a standard intervention of education, counseling, and service coordination by a social worker in the ED would impact future ED visits for at-risk pediatric patients. The sample included 104 at-risk pediatric patients who had greater than three ED visits in one year for non-urgent conditions.…”

“…Ross et al [6] found that social worker involvement was effective in decreasing the misuse of the ED for non-urgent conditions. Interventions by social workers included education, counseling, and assistance with navigating the health care system.…”