MORE SOCIAL WORKERS FOR HOSPITALS

Based on my own experience as a former Director of PCSO, an indigent who seeks financial assistance for his or her hospital expenses would almost always end up with a balance to still pay, despite the PCSO guarantee letter, and despite the coverage provided by PHILHEALTH. This is the reason why these indigents still have to run around to try and get financial assistance wherever they could get it, including the mayors, the governors, the congressmen and even the senators. For those who are lucky enough, some are able to get some additional assistance one way or the other, while the others may have to fall victim to loan sharks. My point here is not so much about the lack of assistance from those who can give, but the lack of someone who could coordinate the search for assistance, a function that could be done by a social worker who is connected with, or employed by the hospital, and not by the DSWD. I have seen how difficult it is for the relatives of the patients to go around to look for help, considering that more often than not, they could not even go out of the hospital because they have to watch over their patients. This might sound like a difficult function to do, but I know that it can work, because I have done it before, knocking on doors on behalf of the indigents. We are not lacking in social workers because our schools are always producing good graduates. What is needed is for the hospitals to hire them soonest. IKE SENERES/12-30-23