Introduction to the Department
The medical social workers of the Social Welfare Team at Seoul National University Hospital hold social worker certificate grade 1, issued by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, together with a medical social worker certificate or a mental health social worker certificate.
Medical social workers are experts who help patients and their families cope with difficult situations caused by diseases. They provide the patients and their families with individual counseling, as well as group counseling and education. They also connect patients to related resources by working with other professionals and organizations.
The medical social welfare service offers help in solving the following difficulties to inpatients and outpatients at Seoul National University Hospital.
- Coping with disease, treatment, and recovery processes
- Difficulty in preparing treatment expenses
- Chronic disease management
- Mental health and drug abuse
- Death preparation and bereavement
- Difficulties in interpersonal relationships, parenting, and family relationships
- Occupational or academic difficulties
- Abuse, neglect, and violence
Who do medical social workers work with?
We are working with the medical staff at the hospital to solve the difficulties that patients and their families experience. We work as a multidisciplinary team member at the Mental Health Medicine Department, the Rehabilitation Medicine Department, the Organ Transplantation Center, the Pediatrics and Adolescents Department (kidney, endocrine, children cancer), the Hospice Palliative Care Team, and Home Healthcare Clininc.
Is confidentiality maintained when using medical social welfare services?
Medical social workers respect the rights of patients to protect confidentiality in accordance with the “Patients’ Rights” and the “Code of Ethics for Social Worker.” However, the details of counseling can be shared after your consent when cooperating with a sponsor or local community organization.
Do the medical social welfare services cost anything?
The counseling service provided by the Medical Social Welfare Team at Seoul National University Hospital does not impose any cost. However, some counseling sessions such as counseling and programs at the Mental Health Medicine Department, counseling at the Rehabilitation Medicine Department, and counseling on organ transplantation may charge a cost.
When and how can I visit the Social Welfare Team?
If you would like to speak to a counselor, please ask your healthcare provider (your doctor or nurse) to refer you to the Medical Social Welfare Team for consultation.
When the consultation request is received, you can make an appointment with a social worker for your counseling session.
You can visit from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays (Mon - Fri).
※ Excluding holidays and weekday lunch breaks (12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.)
Where is the Social Welfare Team located?
It is located on the 1st floor of Biomedical Research Institute at Seoul National University Hospital.