Social Work Office
Medical social work involves professional social workers in hospitals who collaborate with the medical team and utilize social resources to assist patients and their families in addressing social, psychological, familial, and economic issues related to illness. This collaboration enhances the effectiveness of medical treatment and improves the quality of healthcare services.
Introduction of Personnel
There are three licensed social workers.
Service Items
- Offer psychological and emotional counseling through conversations to assist patients and their families in adapting to illness and boosting their confidence in treatment.
- Assess the economic circumstances of patients’ families, utilize social resources, refer them to government agencies or charitable organizations, and apply for subsidies to cover medical expenses and living costs. This approach aims to alleviate the financial challenges faced by patients’ families.
- Search for the families of homeless individuals and unidentified patients. If family members cannot be located, notify the police to continue the search and refer the case to social or health authorities for appropriate placement.
- Conduct consultations and prepare reports for protective cases involving women, children, and the elderly who are victims of domestic violence, high-risk families, and sexual assault. Additionally, apply for medical expense subsidies from local government agencies for individuals who qualify for medical assistance.
- Assist eligible low-income elderly individuals and persons with disabilities in obtaining hospitalization care certificates to facilitate their applications for hospitalization care subsidies at their local government offices.
- Provide discharge placement services for patients who are unable to care for themselves after discharge and lack family support. Refer these patients to appropriate social welfare agencies for assessment and assistance with placement.
- Assist the public in registering their willingness to donate organs and their advance directives for palliative care on their health insurance identification cards. Additionally, coordinate communication between hospitals regarding organ donation cases and facilitate applications for funeral subsidies related to organ donation.
- Provide consultation on social welfare services to colleagues, patients, and their families within the hospital setting.
Future Outlook
Actively engage in interdisciplinary medical services within the hospital to ensure that patients receive comprehensive care through teamwork and professional support, prioritizing their best interests. Social workers will connect with and utilize public and private social welfare resources to provide extensive medical-related services to patients. Additionally, continue to recruit dedicated healthcare volunteers to offer a wider range of services to patients visiting the hospital.