It is important to promote the work of the social worker in hospital centers in the field of mental health, says Dr. César Garcés Carranza PhD, who is the author of two books on that subject.
The Peruvian specialist – who works at the Queens Institute of Neuropsychiatry and the Moriches Community Counseling Center (New York) – argues that the social worker emphasizes communication between medical staff, patients and their families, and makes sure that their needs your needs be met properly.
“It offers emotional support and psychotherapy, focusing on the psychosocial problems and emotional needs of patients and their families. He also advocates for the rights of patients, making sure that the hospital offers high quality services, ”he said.
Another important aspect of their work is to make sure that the relevant and available resources that can unite the patient and their relatives are the most appropriate.
In the human aspect, he advises and personalizes the interactions and understands the feelings, attitudes and behaviors of the patients and their family environment.
He stressed that the social worker in the hospital intervenes and serves as a mediator between patients and medical staff, establishing good coordination and organization of the services provided.
Another aspect is its educational function, because it transmits knowledge, teaching issues related to the rights of patients and about health care decisions, including the end of life.
Dr. Garcés showed his concern because “there is currently evidence that social work is not widely recognized as a key factor in hospitals,” for which he urged a change in mentality. Citing his publications, as well as studies by Rher, H., Blumenfield, S., and Rosenberg, he mentioned several factors as barriers for the social work profession to have a firm position in the hospital field: its association with poor people; his perception as a rival for medical staff, the lack of collaboration with experts in psychosocial issues or his perception as inefficient to solve social problems “which requires powers beyond social work,” he said.
