The In-Patients’ Level of Awareness on Programs and Services of Medical Social Services in the Rizal Provincial Hospital System-Morong Main: A Basis for a Proposed Enhanced Service Plan

Abstract

Medical Social Work is one of the specialized areas of social work practice in the Philippines. It focuses on “the social development of patients and their families as related to their medical and health problems, to assist them in attaining self-reliance and making them contribute to the enhancement of community health and social well-being.” (2010 Manuel of Medical Social Workers 5th Edition, DOH, Republic of the Philippines) For various reasons, the role of the medical social worker is often unclear to persons seeking medical treatment. People tend to have a better understanding of the medical social service role and of whether services are being provided to meet each patient’s needs best. The multifaceted role of a professional medical social worker is generally not well recognized amongst health care personnel. With the help of a case study, group therapy, community work, and social research, it has been possible to enhance useful prompt and need medical care in the hospital and aftercare in the community. The study utilized the descriptive research design with the use of validated questionnaire-checklist in gathering data. The instrument was composed of three parts: the first determined the profile of the respondents; the second determined the level of awareness of the respondents on the different medical programs and services; while the third determined their perception on the extent of contribution of medical programs and services on the overall goals of the healthcare organization. Most of the In-patients were within the age bracket of 33 –37 years old, female, single, residents of Tanay, high school graduate, jobless, belonging to a family with a monthly earning of below ₱5,000. They were generally “Aware” of the different programs and services provided by RPHS and “Much Aware” about the Referrals and Medical Assistance, “Aware” about Discounts and Municipal Indigency Program, but “Less Aware” about the Point of Service. Their level of awareness in the different programs and services of MSSD-RPHS varied significantly concerning the various programs. There was no significant difference found on the level of awareness in the different programs and services of MSST in RPHS concerning the different programs when they were grouped according to sex, civil status, educational attainment, occupation, monthly family income, and medical condition. Significant differences in their level of awareness showed in Municipal Indigency Program in terms of their age, in Points of Service and Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients in terms of their educational attainment. The respondents “Agree” on the different statements regarding the contribution of medical programs and services to the overall goals of the healthcare organization. Their perception on the extent of contribution of medical services to overall objectives of healthcare organization varied significantly at 0.05 level of significance. This implies that the in-patients have different views on how the various medical services of MSSD support the objectives of RPHS. Most of the in-patients availing of medical programs and services at RPHS came from families with low socioeconomic status; The respondents have different levels of awareness on the existing programs and services; the demographic profile was not a contributory factor on the significant differences in their level of performance regarding different programs and services when they were grouped according to their profile; the respondents agreed on the contribution that programs and services brought to accomplish the goals of healthcare organization; and the perceptions of the respondents were not aligned to each other when it comes to the contribution of medical programs and services to the goal of healthcare organizations. The study offered the following recommendations: MSSD in RPHS should implement an awareness drive to raise the level of awareness of the patients pertaining to the different programs of the LGU, Government Agencies, and Private Institutions; MSSD may provide leaflets, tarpaulin, and the like regarding the various programs and services that they can avail of; RPHS should also notify their patients through their nurses about the effort of the healthcare organization in ensuring availability of medicines, and other health care services needed by the indigent and poor patients in accordance to the revised implementing guidelines of the program; the LGU may also hold different orientation regarding the technicalities of Municipal Indigency Program; and RPHS may implement the developed enhance service plan to raise the level of awareness of its patients.