ABSTRACT
As described in this volume, the variety, trajectory, and complexity of medical conditions are astounding. Despite this, in many instances the medical profession has been able to make significant strides in the management of illness and disease. Generally, people in the United States are living longer and enjoying a better quality of life, being maintained and sustained despite serious medical conditions. Functioning in the era of managed care, social workers employed in hospitals serve a vital function as members of the interdisciplinary team and as the liaison between patients and the multiple systems in which they are thrust when hospitalized. To be effective in their role, social workers must be knowledgeable about the client population and the problems they present, aware of the organization constraints and functioning, familiar with community resources and supports, and comfortable with counseling approaches and intervention modalities (Cowles, 2000). In sum, the social worker is positioned between the patient and the medical environment. It is at this interface that the work is done. This volume has attempted to bridge the interface, illuminating both the medical and social work sides of the equation.
