Research on hospital social work at public hospitals in Zhejiang province / 中华医院管理杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To learn the social demands and development status of social work for the hospitals and explore optimization strategies.Methods 9 general hospitals and specialist hospitals in Zhejiang were surveyed, to identify the existing systemic, structural and mechanical problems of the social work at its initial stage.Results 39.7％ of the medical staff and 10.6％ of patients and their families knew and heard of the hospital social work,and 84.1％ of the medical staff and 50.4％ patients and their families have different levels of requirements for hospital social work.Hospital social work is poorly positioned functionally, in terms of the responsibilities and service coverage;those workers engaged are poorly professional.Conclusion Social work of public hospitals should develop from a top-level design and overall planning, and clear systematic and structural roadblocks found in such key elements as policies and systems, functional positioning, duty scope, service scope, organizational structure, team building and social recognition.These efforts will provide support and guarantee for the professional development hospital social work.