HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Hospitals in Vietnam should pay more attention to medical socialwork which plays a vital role in facilitating good medical care and improvingthe quality of life of patients, experts have said.

"Social work at hospitals is in a fledgling state with limited servicescompared to other countries, especially developed ones," said Le Thi Hoang Lieu,director of the social work programme at Thu Dau Mot University in Binh Duong province.

Hospital-based social work had been facilitated by Circular No.43 issued in2015, she told a workshop held in Ho Chi Minh City this week.

But now medical social workers offer support to patients and their familiesonly in the hospital, according to Lieu.

When patients leave the hospital, there is no support at all, causing somepatients to give up treatment and increasing risks of complications.

Medical social workers work in a multi-disciplinary team with professionalsfrom other disciplines and link patients and families with community resources.

High work loads and lack of resources to meet the needs of clients were amongthe challenges they face in Vietnam, experts said.

Dr Leanne Embry, clinical psychologist at University Health System, a publichospital in Texas, the US, said numerous research studies had demonstrated theimportance of psychosocial support for cancer patients of all ages.

“Support can help prevent escalation of distress. We want patients to know they will not face this alone and the chances forsurvival or improvement of symptoms are real,” she said.

Psychosocial support focuses on emotional, social, physical, and spiritualneeds of children and family, according to the doctor.

The goal is to help patients and their family adapt to the situation withminimal distress.

Psychosocial support providers are integrated with medical care and serve as aliaison between patients/families and medical teams.

Their role includes initial assessment of the family, social situation,cultural, religious beliefs, mental health history, employment status, andfinancial needs.

Emotional support for the entire family, patient education and anticipatoryguidance, promoting treatment adherence, and end of life support are alsoincluded.

The psychosocial support model in the US comprises of three social workers, twopsychologists, one child life specialist, and one nurse care coordinator.

Some teams include others such as art therapists, music therapists, chaplainsand other religious leaders, according to Embry.

Every oncology patient meets multiple members of the team during diagnosis, andsupport is given throughout treatment and into survivorship.

“For patients and families, treating the pain, symptoms, and stress of cancerimproves quality of life and is as important as treating the disease itself.”

In Vietnam, her hospital works with some hospitals in Hanoi, HCM City and Hue to create a robust psychosocial support programme, she added.

Stephanie Gonzalez, a child life specialist at University Health System, spokeabout her role, which focuses on the psychosocial needs of children and theirfamilies.

Child life specialists promote coping through preparation, play, education andactivities of self-expression, according to the specialist.

They educate caregivers, administrators, staff, and the public about the needsof children under stress.

They assist children in coping by preparation for procedures andhospitalisation, offering emotional support to children and their families, andbeing an advocate for both the patient and family.

Children who are coping successfully are knowledgeable about their conditionand procedures, feel secure in their relationships with family and staff andrecover quickly from procedures.-VNS/VNA