Journal article
Hospital social workers' use of heuristics and fast-and-frugal decision trees when prioritizing referrals: A qualitative interview study
Social work in health care, Vol.First online, p.1
06/08/2026
PMID: 42561083
Appears in Recent Faculty of Health Publications
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Abstract
Prioritizing referrals is a challenging and common task in hospital social work practice. However, it is not well understood what influences prioritization decisions. We drew on the psychosocial rationality model and fast-and-frugal decision trees to consider how Australian hospital social workers prioritize their referrals. In-depth interviews with 15 hospital social workers were completed. The qualitative analysis identified seven heuristics influencing decision-making: (1) imminent harm, (2) likelihood of death, (3) discharge status, (4) social workers' ability to help the patient, (5) risk factors, (6) protective factors, and (7) time needed to resolve the referral. Heuristics are simple to learn and provide assistance to social workers to enable them to make quick, transparent, and consistent prioritization decisions.
Details
- Title
- Hospital social workers' use of heuristics and fast-and-frugal decision trees when prioritizing referrals: A qualitative interview study
- Creators
- Joanne Hilder - Southern Cross UniversityMaree Petersen - The University of QueenslandJill Wilson - The University of Queensland
- Publication Details
- Social work in health care, Vol.First online, p.1
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
- Grant note
- first author's PhD
This research was undertaken as part of the first author's PhD. No additional funds were sort.
- Identifiers
- 991013393710402368
- Copyright
- © 2026 The Author(s).
- Academic Unit
- Social Work; Faculty of Health
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article