Outcomes-Driven Social Work: Repackaging the Wheel.

Abstract

One cannot be a social worker today, particularly in nephrology, without exposure to—often—the concept of outcomes-driven social work. As noted by Johnstone (2003, as cited in Root et al., 2005), key principles of outcomes- driven social work are “launch it, measure it, report it.” As presented at the National Kidney Foundation 2005 Spring Clinical Meetings’ all-day workshop, “Nephrology Social Work: An Outcomes-Driven Practice Model,” outcomes-driven social work has both a micro- and a macro- impact on social work interventions. It serves to enhance the level of service social workers—in this case, nephrology social workers (NSWs)—provide, as compared to the “linear model of nephrology social work practice” focusing primarily on TTI [travel, transportation, insurance] (NKF 2005 Spring Clinical Meetings).