Expected roles of work support for people with higher brain dysfunctions at medical institutions: Survey on the current status of collaboration between hospitals and work support service agencies

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to clarify the expected roles of work support service providers at medical institutions. A questionnaire was conducted of 385 service providers in special subsidiaries and employment support organizations in Tokyo (136 usable responses with the return rate of 35.3%). The questionnaire items included "role expectations of collaboration with work support agencies" and "community cooperation." Results showed that many of the respondents perceived the following roles: "providing continuous medical care and establishing consultative support systems by opening a consultation window with a particular consultant," "providing information on post-discharge support," and "providing further counseling services regarding disability awareness.” Many of the respondents expected hospitals to have more work support cooperation during the post-discharge period. The results of the study suggest an urgent need to establish a system of transition from hospital to work.