Social Services helps patients and their families cope with the impact of illness, medical care, hospitalization and post-hospital needs.

Social Services can:

  • help patients determine the community resources available to them;
  • refer patients to the appropriate community,county, state, or federal agencies;
  • provide information on home care, nursing homes, or hospice;
  • advocate for the needs of the patient;
  • provide counseling;
  • coordinate the patient’s needs after discharge; and
  • support a patient’s right to participate in health care decisions, including Advance Directives.
  • assess patients upon admission to the hospital, and will work with the patient’s physician and the patient’s multidisciplinary healthcare team to help plan and coordinate the services needed.

Patient support is provided by social workers who are masters-degree-prepared professionals and are licensed by the state to provide services.  Social workers are available at Hannibal Regional Hospital and the James E. Cary Cancer Center.

For more information regarding patient support provided by Social Services at Hannibal Regional Hospital, please call (573) 248-5291.