Importance of Social Workers in Digital Hospital

Abstract

Purpose. The study aims to examine the impact of digital technologies on the role and perceived importance of social workers. Specifically, it investigates whether the increasing online availability of social information has changed the significance of social workers for hospitalized patients. Materials and methods. The research was conducted through a questionnaire survey among inpatients at a tertiary hospital in Slovakia, during February 2025. The sample consisted of 68 patients from several medical departments with an average age of 65 years. The questionnaire included scaled questions measured on a Likert scale and focused on the perceived importance of social workers, the ease of obtaining social information online, and patients’ perceptions of social workers’ roles. Data were processed and evaluated using Microsoft Excel. Results. The findings show that social workers remain highly important for patients even in a digital hospital setting. A total of 84 % of respondents considered their work very important. Despite the growing availability of information online, two thirds of patients reported difficulty finding social information independently. The ability to access information decreased significantly with age, although even younger patients did not report consistently easy access. Patients most often associated social workers with providing information and emotional support, including listening and personal interaction. Conclusions. The results indicate that digital technologies are changing but not replacing the work of hospital social workers. While digital tools facilitate information access and improve efficiency, the human, supportive, and relational aspects of social work remain essential for patient care.