LA County Resident Physicians Fight for the Safe Staffing of Social Workers

On July 28, 2008, CIR Psychiatry Department Representative Dr. R. Scott Bailey and a team of SEIU Local 721 social workers at Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center met with hospital management and the Department of Health Services to express their grave concern over the gross lack of social workers at the hospital.

It was only 2 years ago that the staffing of social workers was at an acceptable level. But now, the number of staff in the department has been reduced by 50%. This creates a situation where only 15 of 43 positions are filled – and those 15 social workers must each care for 80 to 100 patients. As a result, patient care is profoundly impacted.

"As physicians, we can and do address patients' medical and psychiatric problems, but are unable to provide the placement and resources that social workers can," said Dr. Bailey. Due to insufficient staff, patients are forced to wait for hours, leave the hospital without being discharged by a social worker, or be released without proper assessment. "This gross understaffing is dangerous to the patient population, as social workers are imperative to patient flow and patients' overall well-being," said Dr. Bailey.

This staffing shortage impacts entire departments. The Psychiatric Services and Liaison Services Departments have no social workers or case workers to staff them. In the Emergency Room, there are no social workers for the daytime shift.

CIR leaders at LAC+USC have made a commitment to support the social workers at LAC+USC. On June 19, 2008, they submitted a letter of support to accompany the social workers' formal grievance to the Department of Health Services. The CIR doctors insisted that all available social work positions be filled in order to meet the needs of the LAC+USC patients.

"We hope that the LA Department of Health Services immediately fills the vacant social work positions at LAC+USC Medical Center so that our patients can be given the appropriate resources to complement the medical care that they receive," stated CIR Delegate Dr. Antonio Beltran.

Currently, SEIU 721 and CIR are awaiting a response from management and the Department of Health Services regarding the unions' proposed resolutions.