Abstract

“Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, medical social workers in Ghana have continued to play a relevant role in hospital settings by providing emotional support, counseling, advocacy, and arranging outpatient treatments for patients. This study explores the challenges experienced by medical social workers in the process of service delivery. Using a qualitative approach, we interviewed 10 participants with the aid of semi-structured interviews and analyzed the data using thematic analysis. The findings revealed technological difficulties and interaction disconnects among colleagues and patients as the overarching challenges faced by medical social workers in service delivery. The study recommends collaboration between the government of Ghana and nonprofit organizations in providing electronic devices and training for social workers on how to use emerging technologies to better meet the needs of patients.”

摘要

“自 2020 年 COVID-19 大流行爆发以来，加纳的医务社会工作者继续在医院环境中发挥相关作用，为患者提供情感支持、咨询、宣传和安排门诊治疗。本研究探讨了医务社会工作者在提供服务过程中遇到的挑战。我们采用定性方法，借助半结构化访谈采访了 10 名参与者，并使用主题分析对数据进行了分析。调查结果显示，技术困难以及同事和患者之间的互动脱节是医务社会工作者在提供服务时面临的首要挑战。