Social Workers' Role in Tempering Inequality in Healthcare in Hospitals and Clinics

The paper presents the first empirical examination of the role social workers play in tempering inequality in medical care. Sixty social workers employed in hospitals and clinics in Israel and selected through purposive... [ view full abstract ]

The paper presents the first empirical examination of the role social workers play in tempering inequality in medical care. Sixty social workers employed in hospitals and clinics in Israel and selected through purposive sampling were interviewed in 2011. The findings show that all the social workers were acutely aware of the inequalities in their places of work, regarded reducing the inequalities as a major part of their role, and made efforts to do so. They facilitated communication between doctors and patients from low SES groups and advocated for such patients with medical staff and administration, as well as with the country's medical and social welfare bureaucracies. The paper details the means they used and the challenges they faced. The study highlights the important role that social workers play in reducing inequality in health care.