SOCIAL WORKERS are integral to patient care, as they provide patients and their families with information on financial and emotional resources that can help them cope more effectively, a social services consultant said.听听
According to Cristina S. Hangod, former head of the social services department at St. Luke鈥檚 Medical Center, the social services offered in hospitals encompass referrals, pre-admission and discharge planning, social risk screening, patient counseling, psychosocial evaluations, health education, program consultation, planning activities, and research.听听
鈥淲e discuss with the medical team where the patient will be going after discharge,鈥 Ms. Hangod said at organized by Lymphoma Philippines, a non-profit organization.听听
鈥淪ince lymphoma is an immunocompromised case, we also conduct a home visit prior to the discharge of the patient, so we can prepare the family on how they will be attending to the patient in terms of hygiene … and emotional support,鈥 she added.听听
Ms. Hangod said that a patient under social services in a government hospital spends about P1.5 million from the time of diagnosis until the time of discharge. Professional doctor fees are waived and the room is free, although the patient will need to pay at least in part for the cost of medications and diagnostic procedures.听听
In private hospitals, meanwhile, the cost for the same is about P2.5鈥3.5 million for both private and social services patients, although Ms. Hangod said part of the latter鈥檚 expenses are shouldered by the hospital.听听听
Tertiary level government hospitals that offer lymphoma treatments include the Philippine General Hospital, the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, and Jose Reyes Memorial Hospital and Medical Center. Private hospitals that offer the same include St. Luke鈥檚 Medical Center, Asian Hospital and Medical Center, and University of Santo Tomas Medical Center.听听
Patients are classified according to their socioeconomic status, she added, with the percentage of the discount depending on this classification.听听
Patients, in general, consolidate family resources 鈥 from insurance (such as membership benefits from one鈥檚 health maintenance organization as well as PhilHealth) to family assets (such as one鈥檚 business or savings) 鈥 to fund their treatments.听听
Ms. Hangod shared the importance of being cognizant of cancer鈥檚 social impacts, and how the dynamics of relationships change, depending on the coping capacities of both the patient and their loved ones.听听
鈥淎 student may forgo schooling, or a housewife may not be able to perform her responsibilities,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he patient may feel self-pity and ask, 鈥榃hy me? My family is depending on me.鈥欌澨
Important, too, is for the patient to have advance directives, such as a living will and a legal document that authorizes another person to act on your behalf.听听听
鈥淚f the patient doesn鈥檛 want chemotherapy, or doesn鈥檛 want to stay in the hospital … what are the alternatives? These should be discussed early on,鈥 said Ms. Hangod in the vernacular.听听
Lymphoma is a cancer that starts in the immune system鈥檚 infection-fighting cells called lymphocytes. The lymph nodes, spleen, thymus, bone marrow, and other areas of the body contain these cells, with lymphoma leading lymphocytes to change and increase out of control.听听
Common symptoms include enlarged lymph nodes, chills, weight loss, fatigue 鈥 all of which are more likely to be caused by other conditions, such as an infection.听听
听It is one of the top 15 cancers in the Philippines. Authorities estimate, however, that a large number of patients are left undiagnosed due to lack of awareness.听听听
鈥淚f people knew more about this cancer, maybe we could be more aware of our health and the symptoms that lymphoma can do to our body,鈥 said Jeanne Ann Edillon, a cancer patient and survivor, who was initially unaware of the disease.听听听
Sept. 15 is World Lymphoma Awareness Day. 鈥 Patricia B. Mirasol听
