The Medical Social Work Department that works very closely with the other services of the Hospital provides integrated and caring service to all its patients. As a significant department it is headed by a trained Social Worker who holds a professional degree in Social Work (MSW).
The Medical Social Worker (MSW) is an integral Member of the Team of Health Professionals whose primary mission is to serve the humanity with an objective of good health for all and a healthy mind in a healthy body. While the medical personnel in the team take care of the bodily ailments of the patients, the MSW as a para-medical person takes a holistic view of the person and the ailment and tries to empower the patient through psychological, emotional and spiritual interventions to face not only the current health challenge but also to overcome future challenges through better awareness and enhanced self-confidence.
Considering that in life 10 percent is what happens and 90% is our reaction to it, the MSW supports the patient in his/her quest for a healthy life and be proactive for al life with ease and not dis-ease. During any sickness the patient goes through a period of uncertainty, fear, anxiety and worry. During this critical period, the MSW to re-assures the patient and awakens his/her inner strengths so that the patient ignites his/her ability to be resilient and is able to face life boldly at all times. The patient is constantly reminded of the fact that ‘Tough times do not last but tough people do.’
The MSW with her knowledge, skills and attitude endeavours and ensures that the patient is comfortable with him/herself and the environment around him/her. Every effort is made by the MSW to help the patient to see his/her self-worth and celebrate his/her uniqueness as a human being despite the unsound financial and health conditions that they may be facing. The MSW during her interaction with the patient treats him/her with immense respect that every human being deserves, keeping in mind the well-known saying – ‘people may forget what you have talked but they will never forget what you made them feel.’
During the counselling sessions the MSW may not have a solution to every problem that the patient has but she gives a patient hearing to every case and walks an extra mile to support the patient financially as well as emotionally. For this the MSW has to coordinate with various Trusts, Organizations and individual Benefactors to explore options for financial aid as well as be in touch with them to refer patients to the Hospital for holistic care.
Networking
The MSW also has to regularly coordinate with all the in-house departments, Doctors and various Centres like CT Scan / MRI etc., so as to ensure that the patient gets a caring experience of a life time. Networks with different Governmental and non-Governmental organizations to mobilize financial resources for the benefit of poor patients through various Donors. They have been very crucial in arranging finance and infrastructure development for our hospital and helping us to reach out to the community by expanding our resource.
For the MSW every case/patient is unique. They have to treat each one of them with utmost human dignity so that despite their poverty, they do feel the caring human touch provided by the MSW department thereby becoming ambassadors of the Institution for a life time.
