Abstract
This study was designed to assess the Medical Social Services for the hemodialysis patients of Adventist Medical Center and Gregorio T. Lluch Memorial Hospital in Iligan City, particularly in identifying the status of medical social services, experiences of the hemodialysis patients before, during and after the hemodialysis procedure and the effects of medical social services in terms of their health and socio-economic conditions. A descriptive survey design using a purposive sampling of the hemodialysis patients as respondents of this study. A survey questionnaire and interview guide personally administered by the researcher on a one-on-one basis was used as data gathering instruments. Descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage mean, standard deviation and ranking were used. Findings revealed that Medical Social Service offices of both hospitals are in compliant to the standards set by the Department of Health and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation which lead to the effective delivery of services to the respondents. The hemodialysis patients believed that the Medical Social Service is primarily on the provision of assistance. Most of them are not aware that they could be provided with counselling should they need to be listened to and vent out their concealed feelings. Most of them knew about Medical Social Service through the information they got from their co-hemodialysis patients who have already availed of the services or assistance. Only few of them were informed through the staff nurses and even the Medical Social Services office. During the hemodialysis procedure, the physical environment and interpersonal aspects are described by the respondents in AMC and GTLMH as Being Very Positive Impact and Being Positive Impact, respectively. After the hemodialysis procedure, the respondents in AMC perceived the financial aspect as Being No Impact because not all cost is covered by Philhealth since AMC is a private hospital. The effects of the Medical Social Service Office of both hospitals helped the hemodialysis patients with free injections and financial assistance for the procedure have great help in improving their health and socio-economic conditions. The Medical Social Service office of any hospital is vital in the improvement of the well-being of the patients especially the needy who are on hemodialysis.
