Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital

Hallym University Medical Center (HUMC) successfully hosted the 3rd Hallym-NYPH International Seminar on Medical Social Work at Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital on Dec. 6, 2013.

Under the theme of “Diversity and Cultural Competence,” five speakers from both Hallym and New York-Presbyterian Hospital (NYPH) shared their views on multicultural families in U.S. and Korea and suggested solutions to better serve these population.

From NYPH, three senior social workers including Ms. Maria Beatriz Alvarez, Ms. Jasmin Salcedo and Ms. Toni Cardenas spoke on the need for reaching out and providing assistance to multicultural families.

The specific programs including topics and speakers are as follows:

■ Session 1
Understanding and Intervention of Multicultural Families
(Maria Beatriz Alvarez, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York Presbyterian)
Medical Support System for Multicultural Families in USA
(Toni Cardenas, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York Presbyterian)
Multiculturalism in Korea
(Shin-ok Lee, Seodamun Multicultural Family Support Center)

■ Session 2
The Practice of Intervention in Multicultural Families: Children in Crisis and Patients with Mental Health problems
(Jasmin Salcedo, New York Presbyterian Hospital)
Status of Medical Support for Multicultural Families in Korea
(Jung-yun Baek, Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital)

This is the third year that Hallym and NYPH social workers convened in Seoul since 2011 when they met for the first joint international seminar.

In the 1st Hallym-NYPH International Seminar on Medical Social Work, social workers at the two institutions exchanged their thoughts and ideas under the theme of “Changing Medical Environment and Challenges of Social Work.” The 2nd seminar highlighted issues related to Diagnosis Related Group (DRG).

Since 2010, Hallym University Medical Center has dispatched two social workers every year to NYPH for a short-term training.

The cooperative activities are to deepen NYPH and Hallym social workers’ ties and to give Hallym social workers a window of opportunity to learn and benchmark NYPH’s exemplary social service programs.

By Miju Kim, Int’l Cooperation Team, HUMC (miju@hallym.or.kr)