The use of single-group sessions in discharge planning

In recent years we are witnessing a growing demand in the health care system for improved economic efficiency and reduction in length of hospital stay. These facts have increased the pressure for planning effective short- term therapeutic methods that will assist the patient's return to family and community life. This situation led the social workers in the internal medicine units to initiate one-session group meetings for patients and families that would provide a response to the distress of primary caregivers and increase access to social work intervention of families with discharge needs. A model of single-sessions intervention, which had been experienced for the first time in the Sheba Medical Center at Tel-Hashomer, will be presented and evaluated. The presented intervention enabled to reduce anxiety and increase the capabilities of family members to organize and cope with the situation. The intervention also enabled to identify families in need, to emphasize more on the discharge planning as part of the social work function in the hospital setting and help the multi-disciplinary team in the discharge process.