EVALUATING PATIENT UTILIZATION AND SATISFACTION OF SOCIAL WORK SERVICES IN A HOSPITAL SETTING

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to explore the utilization patterns of social work consulting services by patients within a hospital setting and assess patient satisfaction with these services to identify areas for improvement and enhance patient care and support. Methods: Utilizing a convenience sample of 130 patients from Trung Vuong Hospital, we conducted a survey to investigate patients’ engagement with social work consulting services and their satisfaction levels. The study employed descriptive statistics data analysis. Results: The findings revealed that the most utilized social work service is patient orientation upon hospital entry (88.4%), highlighting the importance of initial patient support. However, specialized services, such as support for victims of violence (1.6%) and coordination with organizations for social work (1.6%), are significantly underutilized, with many patients citing a lack of perceived need. Patient satisfaction was highest for emergency support services (mean=4.50), suggesting the value of social work in addressing critical needs, while routine services like patient orientation received slightly lower satisfaction scores. Conclusion: The study underscores the critical role of social workers in healthcare, particularly in patient orientation and emergency support. There is a clear need for increased awareness among patients about the range of available social work services and for more patient-centered approaches to enhance engagement and satisfaction. The findings advocate for healthcare settings to prioritize personalized and comprehensive orientation services and address barriers to accessing specialized social work support.