Quality Assessment on Social Services in General and Teaching Hospitals in Korea

의료사회사업서비스의 질에 관한 연구

Background : As an empirical study, current research about the quality of social services carried out in general and teaching hospitals across the country. In the flux of health care reforms and market transformation, the quality of social services in the hospital becomes increasingly significant. Methods : A sample of total 80 hospitals, including general hospitals with one social worker at least and single-department hospital with two social workers or more, were identified nationwide through the registry of Korean Association of Medical Social Workers and Korean Association of Hospitals. The subjects of this survey were 80 leaders of social service units. The survey data from each subjects were measured to evaluate level of quality that service provider perceived of sample hospitals. Under the method of one-way ANOVA and multiple regression, the level of quality in social work service was analyzed. Results : The major findings were as following ; First, the level of quality perceived showed less score, especially the lowest was the score of quality of outcome. Second, the key variables of each hospital which turned out significantly different in quality of social work service were the departmental form of social work unit, unit leader's age, educational level, field experience, and job rank. Third, the level of quality of social work service correlated positively with the field experience of unit leader, the size of social work unit, the job rank of the unit leader. Conclusion : The most influential variables to the quality of social work service proved departmental form of social work unit, leader of social work unit. Therefore, to assure the proper level of quality, social work unit in hospital must be structured single, independent department in which entitled social worker is supposed to supervise and manage. And a leadership-development program for leaders in social work unit are strongly recommended.