Hospital / Medical social work activities

Medical / Hospital Social Service is an activity through which it is possible to make the medical system complete and effective by removing all possible obstacles in the medical field of the patients being treated in the hospital. The main goal of this program is to help the physician and the patient in all possible ways to solve the problems by identifying the problems that hinder the patient's mental health and inability to take the mental, social, economic and other medical facilities. Through this activity it is possible to make a patient strive for his physical, mental as well as overall welfare. Social work can play a significant role in the medical field.

Medical social service activities are very important among the various welfare activities conducted under the Department of Social Services. This program was first introduced in Bangladesh in 1956. At present this program is being conducted in 94 hospitals of 64 districts of the country. As per the directions of the present government, in order to expand the medical social service activities for the medical assistance of the rural poor, the work of formation and registration of patient welfare societies has been completed in 492 upazila health complexes which are directly involved in the service of the afflicted.

The main purpose of the program is:

1. Focusing on the well-being of the patient with the utmost emphasis on the psychological aspects of a patient;

2. Assist patients and physicians in curing the disease by establishing a friendly ‘relationship’ with the patient (rapport building) and collecting his / her social, family and economic information;

3. Counseling and motivation for patients to cure and treat diseases;

4. Acts as a bridge between the patient and the physician;

5. Raising awareness among uneducated, ignorant patients about family planning, maternal and child health care, hygiene and, above all, prevention of infectious diseases;

6. To remove the prejudices and unreasonable fears about the disease from the minds of the uneducated and poor patients and to prepare them mentally for taking proper treatment in time;

7. Provide medicines, diagnostic tests, diet, blood, spectacles, crutches, prostheses and other financial assistance to poor patients as required (according to medical prescriptions);

8. To provide admission to the helpless children abandoned in the hospital in the Baby Home (Chhoto mani Nibas) run under the Department of Social Services and to make arrangements for the rehabilitation of homeless, homeless and various organizations in the home;

9. Elderly, helpless and disabled people coming to the hospital to be admitted to government approved institutions run by the Department of Social Services;

10. To provide necessary facilities to the helpless and indigent patients to avail interest free micro-loans by engaging them in rural social service activities under the Department of Social Services, urban social service activities, rural maternity centers and other activities through voluntary organizations registered with the Department of Social Services;

11. To provide medical assistance to all the patients in the hospital for the treatment of senior citizens of the country (senior citizen / disabled) on a priority basis;

12. Resolving family problems of the patient, strengthening family ties, communicating with family (letters, telephones), providing assistance in meeting travel expenses and inspecting homes;

13. Hospitalized recreational arrangements;

14. Writing, storing and following the case file of the patient staying in the hospital (all the patients are involved in receiving various medical services from the social service officer) and

15. To arrange for the funeral of an unnamed, poor, deceased person admitted to the hospital.

Service Center:

This activity is going on in Sherpur District Hospital and all Upazila Health Complexes of Sherpur District.

Contact:

Patients admitted to Sherpur District Hospital should contact the Hospital Social Services Office located inside the hospital and patients admitted to the Upazila Health Complex should contact the Upazila Social Services Office.