[Using Social Prescribing to Practice Social Responsibility: A Case Study in the Taipei Medical University System]

Hu Li Za Zhi. 2022 Jun;69(3):25-30. doi: 10.6224/JN.202206_69(3).05.
[Article in Chinese]

Abstract

The Ministry of Education launched the University Social Responsibility (USR) Program in 2018. Since then, universities have actively promoted inter-disciplinary cooperation and implemented high-end knowledge to meet community needs. Universities are using social responsibility to enhance the level of social participation engaged in by their students to achieve the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations. The aim of this paper was to share the experience of the Taipei Medical University (TMU) system in practicing social responsibility by integrating TMU resources with those of TMU-affiliated hospitals. The USR program at Taipei Medical University promotes the reform of school governance through encouraging university faculties to collaborate with hospital physicians to develop a specific curriculum that implements an innovative social-prescribing model. This curriculum is designed to provide opportunities for students to step out the classroom and into the community. Through clinical observations, home visits, and community service, students gain a deep understanding of community health issues from residents in the surrounding neighborhoods. Medical humanities education is achieved through students' involvement in both patient individual care and community health issues. In addition, faculties guide students in reflective learning from holistic healthcare perspectives. Students are encouraged to use evidence-based methods to develop innovative models of care in the community. Medical staff participation in this program helps ensure that social prescribing to community residents accurately reflects professional assessments. These prescriptions refer patients to local health promotion units involved in community collaboration. The medical university students build a bridge between the medical system and the community to implement the goals of health education. The impact of social prescribing on the social determinants of health is known to be significantly greater than that of medicine prescriptions. The expected outcomes of this project are to reduce the health inequalities experienced by vulnerable groups in the community and to share Taiwan's experiences with the academic community worldwide.

Title: 運用社會處方箋之社會責任實踐—臺北醫學大學體系案例分享.

2018年教育部發起大學社會責任實踐計畫,各大學積極推動跨領域合作,將高端知識落實在地需求。藉由提升學生社會參與來實踐社會責任,並朝著聯合國設立的永續發展目標努力。本篇文章分享臺北醫學大學體系整合大學與其附屬醫院資源,實踐社會責任之經驗。大學社會責任計畫促進校務改革,鼓勵大學教師與醫師合作開設課程,發展創新之社會處方箋模式。課程提供學生踏出教室,進入社區的機會,由診間觀察、居家訪視、社區服務等方式,而且學生能夠從病人服務過程體認到社區健康議題,達到醫學人文教育目的。此外,教師引導學生以全人照護觀點進行反思,鼓勵以實證方法發展創新照護模式。醫療人員依照專業評估狀況來開立社會處方,將有需求的病人轉介至附近與健康促進有關之社區合作單位。由醫學大學學生搭起醫療端與社區端之橋樑,來落實衛生教育目標,社會處方對於健康的社會決定因素的改變超越醫療本質。本計畫成果能夠翻轉社區易受傷族群健康不平等,並將台灣經驗推至國際學術社群。.

Keywords: social determinants of health; social prescribing; social return on investment; sustainable development goals; university social responsibility.

MeSH terms

  • Curriculum
  • Education, Medical*
  • Humans
  • Social Responsibility*
  • Students
  • Universities