Bridging the Silos: The Effects of Including Social Workers in Integrated Healthcare Teams in the Treatment of Chronic Pain

An exploratory study of how the inclusion of social workers on integrated treatment teams affects the satisfaction of chronic pain patients. This study utilizes a mixed methods approach: interviews with social workers currently working in integrated healthcare teams as well as anonymous survey data collected from people who identified as having experienced chronic pain in order to provide as much initial data as possible. A content analysis reveals qualitative themes including patient advocacy, the power of integrated healthcare, and the importance of the mind/body connection in integrated healthcare. Qualitative and quantitative both find evidence of a lack of social worker visibility in medical settings which impedes the availability of data regarding social worker effect on chronic pain patient satisfaction. Implications for social work practice and future research are discussed.