FUNCTIONS OF SOCIAL WORKERS IN THE HEALTH FIELD IN HOSPITALS AND CLINICS OF THIRD AND FOURTH LEVEL OF THE CITY OF MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA

Objective. This paper aims to publish the functions developed by the Social Work profession in the field of health, specifically in clinics and hospitals of the city of Medellin. Methodology. Based on a qualitative-descriptive study, in which information was collected through a semi-structured interview designed by experts and applied to eleven social workers in eight clinics and hospitals. The subsequent analysis of the information was done using ATLAS.ti software. Results. The study found that social workers have a comprehensive perspective on health, which allows characterizing their participation there as integral and systemic: their intervention is centered on patients and their family and social support networks. Conclusion. Social workers fulfill a significant integrating role in interdisciplinary teams, which contributes to the accessibility and integrality of the health service to solve problems related to physical health and the humanization of care.