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Social Service
History
On World Health day, 7th April 1994, the Social Service Department of the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, surfaced as an independent department with Ms. Daksha Javeri, as the its head. The strength of MSWs has increased from sixteen to twenty - catering services to 54 Medical/Surgical Units of KEM Hospital.
The multifaceted role of a professional medical social worker is generally not well recognised amongst health care personnel. With the help of case study, group therapy, community work and social research, it has been possible to enhance effective prompt and needy medical care in the hospital and after care in the community. The complimentary service of a medical social worker today aims at prevention of diseases, preservation and the promotion of mental/physical health of people in general. Nevertheless, it also intends to underline the importance of " MEDICAL SOCIAL SERVICE " is an "ALL TIME NEED" in health disease.
Professional social work is concerned with interaction between people with their social environment and the ability of people to accomplish their tasks, alleviate distress or realize their aspirations and values. When a patient is affected by a medical problems, it influences his family and his social network. In other words, the illness cannot be treated in isolation. In India, the family is very closed knit. So, culturally the emphasis is on the family, and not on the individual alone. Today, the scientific approach of social work interventions offers tremendous scope to define and design the health care needs to help the sick and disabled people.
Increasing industrialization and urbanization has weakened the family structure in many ways. The disjointed family system has seen the birth of nuclear families. Needless to say that the much needed psychological, emotional, economic and social support to an ailing individual has become the cornerstone of social work intervention by the medical social worker. With the infinite teething problems at the time of inception and further on, we have struggled to put our best foot forward to overcome most of them and impart timely services. Today, we are happy and content to play a pivotal role in patient care.