Q&A: Patient/family conferences

Q: Should I be conducting patient/family conferences at my facility? What are the benefits? 

A: Although communication with patients and families takes place in different forms, family conferences are considered an important part of the work done with families. Today, many hospital social workers and interdisciplinary team members use patient/family conferences as a response to a plan that is not progressing well or has fallen apart. However, we should actually use this form of communication as a diagnostic tool to proactively manage patient and family expectations, build relationships, and understand unique aspects of family dynamics. This will allow them to identify and resolve potential psychosocial delays prior to transitions.

Additionally, social workers are interpreters for the patient and family to ensure that their medical understanding of their condition. Medical terminology is often considered the most foreign language in hospital settings, and it is often the social worker who catches a conversation in which the patient and family may not understand the doctor and nurse.

For more information, see the Social Work: Strength-Based Practice in Hospital Case Management.

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