Introduction

Every Medical Social Worker who works at government hospital holds a huge responsibility to assist the poor or unfortunate patients to obtain bio psychosocial aid. Bio psychosocial aid helps patients to regain their social function and allow them to get back into the society along with their physical limitation due to the illnesses. Practical assistance and therapeutic help support are the main role of a Medical Social Worker. Practical assistance is a form of help that includes treatment, medication, medical equipment, prosthesis, discharge planning, fare assistant for treatment purpose and many more. Meanwhile, therapeutic help support comprises the cases of single parent, child abuse, rape, alleged assault, discharge planning, chronic illnesses and others.

Both practical assistance and therapeutic help support are among the helps offered to the heart disease’s patients by the Medical Social Worker. Practical assistance will be explained further. For the therapeutic help support, Medical Social Worker are responsible to provide emotional support for the patients and their family through consultation regarding their disease, treatment, ways to apply for help and others.

Patient’s Criteria To Receive Assistance

Patients who are eligible to receive assistance from Medical Social Work Department:

• Malaysian nationality
• Poor or unfortunate and they are supported by the Medical Social Worker or the Social Welfare Officer
• Patients are referred by the Medical Officer or Specialist from government hospital only
• Disable People (OKU) registered with the Social Welfare Department

Types Of Heart Diseases That Are Often Referred

• Coronary Artery Disease – Penyakit koronari arteri
• Angioplasty – Angioplasti
• Myocardial Infarction – Serangan Jantung
• Heart Failure/Cardiomyopathy – Kegagalan Jantung
• Congenital Heart Disease – Penyakit Jantung Kongenital
• Hyperthropic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy (HOCM / Complete Heart Block – Ketebalan dinding injap jantung / sekatan jantung
• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) – Anurism Aorta

Types Of Medical Equipment Needed

• Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) – Perlakuan Graf Pintasan Arteri Koronari
• Coronary Dilatation Baloon – Gelembung Pendilatan Koronari
• Stenting
• Cardiac Resynchronization Theraphy – Defiblator (CRT-D)
• Pacemaker – Perentak Jantung
• Atrial Septal Occluder Device – Alat penyumbat septal atrium
• Prosthetic Valve – Injap prostetik

Procedure To Receive Assistance

• Patients need to be referred by Specialist or Medical Officer from Government Hospital
• Patients will be interviewed by the Medical Social Worker for socio economic background and other related matters

Support Document Needed

The following are the list of support documents needed to consider the application:

1. A clear photocopy of identity card / birth certificate (children)
2. Reports from doctor who treat the patient. The report must state the verification of the patient’s illness, treatment received, suggested treatment, place and estimated treatment cost. The reports must be ratified by the Head Department.
3. Quotation of the medical equipment / medication suggested
4. Socio economic report (Form B) prepared by the Medical Social Worker at the Government Hospitals or Social Welfare Department
5. Photocopy of pay slip and the latest KWSP slip (applicant who is currently working or used to work)
6. Any other supported document needed

Sources Of Assistance

1. Tabung Bantuan Perubatan Malaysia (TBP) under the Health Ministry of Malaysia
2. Nearest Pusat Zakat / Majlis Agama Islam
3. Tabung Kebajikan Perubatan Malaysia (TKPM)
4. Other non-government (NGOs) organization

Where To Get Assistance

A patient had been diagnosed to have heart complication, hence the patient will be referred to the hospital’s Medical Social Worker where they receive their treatment from. If the hospital is not present with Medical Social Work services, therefore the patient will be referred to the nearest hospital or General Hospital.

Reference Form

1. Medical Social Work Services reference form
2. Attachment C form – Declaration / Officer validation / Medical Specialist

References

1. Standard Operational Procedure MSW (SOP PKSP)
2. Anda Sihat Anda Bahagia – Dr. Harold Shryock
3. Guidelines for Socio-economic Reports of Medical Social Work Service