[Collaboration between a local medical community and a university hospital]

Here we report the current status and problems in collaboration between a local medical community and a university hospital. It is important for the university hospital to clearly define its role in the local medical community, collaborate with local medical and welfare institutes and establish a local medical and care network that supports patients and their families. For this purpose, the social service department is expected to play a role as a coordinator between the university hospital and the local medical community so that the patients can make the best use of medical and care resources.