Preadmission screening: an efficacy study.

The effectiveness of hospital social work preadmission screening and assessment is compared with postadmission screening and assessment. Outcome variables include length of stay, readmission rates, posthospital home management, resource attainment, and satisfaction with hospital services. The patients screened postadmission were assessed within forty-eight hours of admission, while the patients screened preadmission were assessed one to two weeks prior to admission. Telephone follow-up was conducted with both groups. Preadmission patients reported better home management and attained more resources. Patients' satisfaction with hospital care was inversely related to the need for more resources in the post-hospital period.