Services provided by medical social work profession.

Medical social workers assume various distinct roles in their practice. These roles range from educator and
advocate to counselor, liaison, and mediator. The generalist intervention model (GIM) informs medical social
work practice, with these roles reaching across each stage of the model. Medical social workers view patients
and their problems in context, combine practice skills and techniques that meet the individual situation, and
implement interventions across the multiple systems present in the patient’s life. The interventions are
implemented on a continuum ranging from micro to mezzo to macro levels.
It is important to be mindful of the fact that patients are not the only people with whom medical social workers
practice. It is not uncommon for medical social workers to intervene with family members and support
caregivers, cooperate with members of the community, and collaborate with other health care professionals as
well.
To prepare for this Discussion, think about the wide array of services provided by a medical social worker.
Consider the roles, responsibilities, and scope of practice of the medical social work profession. Examine the
medical social work practice skill within the GIM.