Rochester General Health System
RGH Celebrates 100 Years of Social Work Services
03/20/2009
Rochester General Hospital is proudly celebrating an anniversary this month. We are marking our 100th anniversary of providing Social Work Services in the Rochester community.
Social Work has been an integral part of the patient experience for a majority of the years that Rochester General (which originally opened in 1864 as Rochester City Hospital) has been in existence.
Many elements of social work have, of course, changed over the last 100 years as issues and patient options have evolved. One thing, however, remains consistent – the unwavering dedication and caring concern of the Social Work staff at Rochester General Hospital.
“While Social Work at RGH has changed dramatically over the years to meet the many needs of hospital patients and others who rely on the healthcare team to make the experience less stressful, it takes a skilled, hard working, and flexible group of individuals, like the RGH Social Work staff, to help make that happen,” said Mary Jane Stone, RGH Manager of Social Work Services.
Today, 17 Social Workers and other support staff, provide assistance to the thousands of patients who depend on us for their healthcare. Last year, RGH social workers assisted more than 15,000 patients in a variety of ways. Among the services provided: discharge planning, including arranging home care and alternative care placement and continuing care options; assistance obtaining resources such as coverage for prescriptions, accessing transportation, food, clothing, or shelter; crisis intervention, brief counseling and referral to community resources for mental health, smoking cessation, child abuse, financial, or other assistance.
Every year in March, Social Work Services at Rochester General Hospital recognizes two hospital employees for their commitment to patient care. The 2009 awards will be presented on March 26, 2009 in the Twig Auditorium at Rochester General Hospital. Steven Rich MD, head of Senior Services, will receive the Ella Hollister Award for extraordinary patient advocacy and “displaying an outstanding degree of empathy, warmth, understanding and respect (for patients).” Jim Hanley will receive the Social Work Excellence in Practice Award, for “being a role model for others as a vital member of the interdisciplinary healthcare team.”
The awards will be presented by Mark Clement, president and CEO of the Rochester General Health System.
