Die maatskaplike werker as ondersteuningsbron vir geneeshere in privaat praktyk

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:The aim of this study was to compile practical guidelines to assist medical practitioners inutilizing social work services in their practices. Exploratory, descriptive and appliedresearch was done to determine and describe medical practitioners' knowledge ofpsychosocial problems and their present and potential utilization of social work services.Results were generalized in respect of the population as a whole.In the theoretical study social functioning was conceptualized by the description ofmicro, mezzo and macro levels of functioning. The approach towards rendering ofservices (in the Medical field) and intervention (in the Social Work field) was described,followed by recommendations for the eclectical utilization of the approaches.The eclectical application of the intervention approaches requires that social workersshould have certain knowledge, values and skills to interpret certain roles. This occurswithin certain social work areas, with the achievement of the aims and functions of SocialWork as goal. The ethical and value basis of Social Work and Medical Science showscertain similarities and disparities. The values of Social Work, as contained in theBehavioural- and Ethical Code for Social Work and the Oath of Hippocrates, in MedicalScience, are described in this study.In the empirical study qualitative and quantitative information was gathered, inter alia,about the existence of psychosocial problems of patients in medical practitioners'practices, how medical practitioners handled them, how well equipped they were to do it,their present and potential utilization of Social Work services, the role of third parties inthe rendering of services and referral procedures. Thirty nine (39) medical practitioners,selected by random sampling procedure, were involved in the study and completed selfadministeredquestionnaires.The majority respondents indicated that their undergraduate training was inadequate inenabling them to handle psychosocial problems of patients. The entire spectrum ofpsychosocial problems existed in all the respondents' practices. The majority ofrespondents handled such problems themselves, while specialists, psychologists andpsychiatrists were at times used as resources. The majority of respondents indicated thatthey could perhaps utilize Social Work services and that there is a great need for such aresource. Most medical practitioners preferred to send written referrals via patients, withthe responsibility being with the patient for making an appointment with the socialworker. Minimal use was made of third parties in the patients' frame of reference in theassessment and treatment of patients.Third parties, within the reference framework of patients, were used minimally bymedical practitioners in the making of assessments and the rendering of services.Respondents had divergent opinions regarding their competence in the psychosocial fieldof service rendering. The majority of respondents indicated the need for trainingprograms focusing on the handling of patients' psychosocial problems. Limited time forattending such training programs was however mentioned as the biggest obstacle. Thesefindings of the empirical study, together with the theoretical framework, were used as aguideline for the composition of a practical guideline for the referral of services to socialworkers in private practice.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University