Technology has transformed the way we operate in many industries. From computerized manufacturing to the emergence of digital data, devices have transformed industries into dynamic, digital enterprises that use the best of today’s technology to enhance their operations.
In the healthcare space, the role of social workers has significantly benefited from the innovations and improvements that technology has offered. From improvements to online learning, enabling the completion of online advanced standing MSW, to innovations that allow work from nearly anywhere, technology has reshaped what it means to be a social worker.
Bringing Social Workers Together
Social workers, by design, often work in communities all across America. In decades past, opportunities to connect and engage with those who worked in the industry were relatively rare, limited to industry functions and the occasional professional development day.
In the last fifteen years, the rapid proliferation of social media platforms has enabled a generation of social workers to be seen by their peers – allowing their unique perspectives on the industry to gain a far broader audience than previously thought possible.
The Internet has, in turn, become a powerful voice for those who have experienced tough times. This can provide a powerful perspective for those who work in social work, enabling them to listen to the stories of those who have faced adversity in life, such as homelessness, depression, and loss.
By providing a voice for those who have experienced adversity, such as Becky Blanton’s TED talk on her experiences around loss, grief, and homelessness, the Internet has become a platform for action, education, and inspiration. The Internet can be a great meeting place for social workers, clients, and communities to share their stories – and as a place to learn how to empathize and understand the communities that social workers may serve.
Supporting Remote Communities
While there are many roles available for social workers, it can sometimes be difficult for workers to move to regional or remote areas for work. While regional towns may have far smaller populations than their urban counterparts, there are often still people who require support from social workers – often for various reasons.
There are shortages of social workers in rural and remote America, which are expected to grow over the coming decade. Technology can help mitigate some of these shortages by enabling social workers to provide support through teleconferencing and other telehealth methods.
Innovations in remote support are powerful tools for social workers who desire to help rural communities but cannot move due to pre-existing commitments. Remote social workers also provide increased flexibility and availability – service providers and clients can arrange a time that meets their needs rather than being required to attend a physical social work office.
Initiatives such as the recent announcement by the Biden-Harris Administration to work towards improved facilitation of telehealth services highlight the importance of social workers in telehealth work. As remote communities continue to experience staff shortages, expect to see increased capability for remote, flexible support offered by social workers living far from the communities they serve.
The Challenges of Going Online
While the Internet is a powerful tool for social workers, it’s essential to be aware of its moral and ethical implications. Digital tools may allow social workers to conduct many types of social work online. Still, current legislation limits what kind of work can be performed over telehealth and how it can be claimed through healthcare coverage such as Medicare.
Social workers can also face challenges when storing client data. It’s important to recognize that, as healthcare workers, their work may potentially be covered by federal laws, such as HIPAA. Important ethical and legal considerations exist when storing sensitive patient data, such as the manner, format, and period in which such data is stored.
Industry associations, such as the National Association of Social Workers, can provide guidance and instruction on best practices to ensure the privacy of personal data. With more than a dozen high-profile cyber attacks on major healthcare providers, understanding the best way to store and secure data can sometimes be the difference between being protected from the next attack and having sensitive data leaked online.
Technology has had a transformative effect on modern social work. From the Internet’s ability to connect social workers worldwide to improving access to research and learning, social workers are now more empowered than ever in a world where people are experiencing increasingly complex challenges.
For remote and rural communities, the promise of remote work has provided new avenues of work for social workers and new channels of support for communities that may struggle to procure adequate social workers for their towns. It’s essential to recognize that limitations currently exist to the types of social work that can be provided via telehealth – and that challenges still need to be tackled in this growing industry.
As technology continues to transform the work that social workers do, opportunities continue to arise for those who are interested in pursuing a career in this vital field. If you’re looking to take the next step in your social work journey, perhaps it’s time to speak to a careers counselor and explore what options are available.
