Medical Social Work (MSW) - A Centre Of Excellence
The Department of Medical Social Work (MSW) started at KEM Hospital Pune, in 1978, to look
into problems faced by patients during their indoor and outdoor treatment. Since then, we have
endeavoured to help the ill, bewildered, worried and frightened patients who visit KEM Hospital.
The MSW team is the link between the patient, the Hospital’s medical team, its administration
and the community at large.
Each MSW works with one special unit: Intensive care, renal, paediatric, cardiac, oncology,
neonatology, etc. This enables the MSW to focus on specific problems related to the illness.
The MSWs assist in providing clear and simple information, clarifying misconceptions and in
decision making for future treatment. In chronic, long term and terminal illnesses there is a great
need of supportive and crisis counselling, mobilising a support network and providing the
patients with appropriate referrals for medical as well as material help.
The Department conducts a series of workshops for KEM Hospital staff on relevant topics, such
as HIV awareness, attitudes and bio-safety precautions. The goal of these workshops is to
sensitize them to HIV infected patients, raise the level of awareness about HIV, and to motivate
them to practice universal bio-safety precautions.
We have been instrumental in setting up several support groups for patients and their families:
- Prerana
This is a support group for families of cancer afflicted children. We organise group
meetings, 7-8 times a year, to discuss problems faced by them, to provide information
about the illness and its treatment, and to arrange recreational outings for the children
and their family members, reassuring them that they are not alone in their fight against
cancer. - Ashadeep
This is a support group for people living with HIV AIDS. True to its name, Ashadeep, the
MSW in this support group organises talks and various other programmes for the group,
providing them with a positive perspective and keeping them hopeful of leading a near-
normal life. - Aarambh
Aarambh, which means beginning, is a support group to rehabilitate hearing impaired
children. The goal of the group is to provide early identification of hearing loss and
awareness of early intervention programmes.
Visits are made to the patient’s home, school, or place of work when necessary for the patient’s
treatment and rehabilitation.
A large population of patients that visit KEM Hospital are from the poor or lower middle strata of
society. For them, medical treatment, especially hospitalization is a financial burden. KEM
Hospital tries to help in certain cases by giving concessions in the charges and, occasionally, by
waiving them altogether. The MSW department tries to help those who cannot afford any
charges at all, with medicines and nutrition. Special efforts have to be made to raise funds for
major requirements like cardiac surgery, cochlear implants, renal transplants, chemotherapy
and treatment in the Intensive Care Units.
Every year the dialysis & transplant coordinator organizes a Donors’ Day to felicitate all the
kidney donors who have given their kidneys to their loved ones, thus giving them the gift of life.
The program is also used as a platform to spread awareness about organ donation and
transplantation and to help motivate other relatives who wish to donate but are afraid to do so. A
Certificate of Appreciation is given to each kidney donor.
The purpose of these sessions is to open up channels of communication, build up rapport,
involve different levels of staff in the problem solving process and, above all, to motivate the
staff to improve patient care.
Social Work students are placed in KEM’s Department of Medical Social Work for their field
work training. The MSWs supervise their working and provide necessary guidance.
The Department establishes and maintains contact with social organizations such as the Rotary
and Lions Clubs, charitable trusts, industries, schools, etc.
Referrals to outside agencies are made when patients need help not available at KEM Hospital,
e.g. to special schools, shelter homes, orphanages, employment centres, agencies for
educational support, marital counselling, other hospitals, etc.
- Ward Rounds
- Counselling
- HIV Counselling
- Antenatal and Postnatal Counselling
- OPD Support
Location
Nursing Home Building, Ground Floor, Room 24
Hours
Mon – Sat: 9 AM – 5 PM
Email
mswdept@kemhospital.org
Phone