Accompanying patients, overcoming challenges, spreading love

On November 22, the Ministry of Health held a conference to review 9 years of implementing Circular No. 43/2015/TT-BYT regulating the tasks and forms of organizing social work in hospitals, and to solicit comments on the draft revised Circular in the Northern region.

Hospital social work: Accompanying patients, overcoming challenges, spreading love

On November 22, the Ministry of Health held a conference to review 9 years of implementing Circular No. 43/2015/TT-BYT regulating the tasks and forms of organizing social work in hospitals, and to solicit comments on the draft revised Circular in the Northern region.

At the Conference, representatives of the Central Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion informed about the achievements that social work at the Hospital has made in recent times.

Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan spoke at the event.

Accordingly, the Institute recorded that over 60% of patients being treated were in the group with serious blood diseases (such as leukemia), more than 20% were in the group with genetic blood diseases, with many families having many people with the same disease.

Most of the patients here live in difficult circumstances: 70% are from rural, mountainous, remote, isolated, or island areas; nearly 30% are poor households, with an income of less than 1,500,000 VND/month. In addition to economic difficulties, they also suffer mental pressure when facing illness and long-term, multi-cycle or lifelong treatments.

In addition to its medical examination and treatment tasks, the Institute is also responsible for mobilizing, receiving, preparing, and supplying blood and blood products to more than 170 hospitals in 25 provinces and cities in the Northern region.

Scientific research, training and technology transfer activities are regularly implemented, helping to promote the development of the national hematology and blood transfusion system. The Institute also actively cooperates internationally, approaches world medical advances and receives great support from international friends, bringing practical benefits to patients.

At the event, Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan emphasized that improving the quality of medical examination and treatment facilities is always a key task of the health sector to meet people's satisfaction. Since the issuance of Circular 43, social work in hospitals has achieved many positive results.

This is a mission of profound humanitarian significance, supporting patients and their families to overcome difficulties, while improving the efficiency of hospital operations.

Over the past 9 years, central hospitals and most provincial and municipal general hospitals have established Social Work Departments or Teams, gradually professionalizing their staff. Many new models and effective methods have supported hundreds of thousands of disadvantaged patients.

However, the implementation of the Circular still has some limitations such as: the organizational model is not uniform; many units lack specialized departments due to lack of human resources and resources; social workers are few, mostly part-time and lack professional training. Although socialization activities have been promoted, the funding source is not stable.

In addition, a number of patients, relatives or medical staff have not fully recognized the role of social work, leading to the failure to create maximum conditions for this activity. The application of information technology in the management and implementation of social work also has many limitations, not meeting the context of digital transformation in all areas of life.

Faced with the above-mentioned problems, according to Dr. Ha Anh Duc, Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, the Ministry of Health is drafting a Circular on Guidelines for social work in hospitals.

Accordingly, the hospital's social work includes the following contents: Consulting, providing information, introducing medical examination and treatment services of medical examination and treatment facilities to patients and supporting in answering patients' questions during the medical examination and treatment process;

Provide emergency assistance services to patients (especially children, women, people with disabilities, people with mental health disorders, the elderly) who are victims of violence, abuse, disaster or suspected victims of violence, abuse, abuse and other cases requiring emergency assistance:

Assess patient needs; screen and classify patients according to social work needs. If necessary, refer patients to relevant authorities;

Coordinate with departments, offices, and units to meet patients' urgent needs for medical care, drinking water, food, clothing, essential items, and psychosocial support within the capacity of the medical examination and treatment facility.

Organize patient visits to assess needs; screen and classify patients; propose to establish social work records (if necessary and appropriate);

Support and advise patients on their rights, legal interests and obligations, social programs and policies on medical examination and treatment, health insurance, social subsidies and other policies related to patients;

Connect patients to access services and resources locally and from individuals, units, agencies and organizations to support solving psychosocial problems and improving patient capacity (if any);

Coordinate and guide organizations and volunteers in need of implementing and supporting social work in medical examination and treatment facilities.

Implement and coordinate with departments, offices, units in medical examination and treatment facilities and other relevant individuals, agencies, and organizations to carry out communication work of medical examination and treatment facilities to communicate health education to patients;

Develop content and documents to introduce and promote the image, services and activities of medical examination and treatment facilities to patients and the community through organizing activities, programs, events, conferences, seminars, internal information channels and on digital platforms;

Update and disseminate State policies and laws related to medical examination and treatment and social work services for patients.

Mobilize, receive and coordinate financial and material resources according to current regulations to support patients in difficult circumstances, patients unable to pay for medical examination and treatment costs and patients with serious illnesses.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/cong-tac-xa-hoi-benh-vien-dong-hanh-cung-nguoi-benh-vuot-thach-thuc-lan-toa-yeu-thuong-d230678.html