This Doctor Is Too Wealthy

Du Heng let out a slight sigh.

If the patient doesn’t believe you, even if you have extraordinary abilities, you can only watch helplessly; you definitely can’t force them to accept treatment.

”What about that teacher from Linzhou? Hasn’t he arrived yet?”

”I called him this morning. He said it’s their final exams these few days, and his schedule is too tight, so he can’t make it.”

Du Heng didn’t know what else to say. Out of three patients, two had stood him up.

”Okay, then where’s Director Xu today? Why haven’t I seen him yet?”

”The Director had surgery scheduled this morning; he went into the operating room at 5 a.m. However, he left instructions for you to rest in his office after you finish here.”

Du Heng glanced at the time. It was just past nine in the morning; how long would he have to wait?

Besides, he had no business to discuss with Xu Pinglin, so he said, ”I won’t go. I’ll visit Professor Li in the Chinese Medicine Department. Just let Director Xu know for me.”

As soon as Du Heng finished speaking, some of the quicker-witted students behind him immediately swarmed over. ”Du, this way! I’ll take you to Mr. Li.”

In an instant, Du Heng was surrounded. Even Gu Ping, who had been standing right next to him, was squeezed out and could only watch helplessly as Du Heng was escorted away by a few shameless students.

Gu Ping was about to curse but suddenly realized someone else was beside him. Turning around, he saw the stubborn young man still in a daze, looking at his classmates’ departing backs with confusion.

Gu Ping’s mouth opened and closed a couple of times, but he didn’t dare to scold him to his face. He resentfully shut his mouth and returned to his office.

Du Heng felt a little uncomfortable being surrounded by people, as he had never experienced such treatment before. Especially in a major institution like Provincial First Hospital, being encircled by white gowns while he alone wore casual clothes, and being the center of attention, was indeed eye-catching.

But these students, who considered themselves his junior fellow apprentices, were just too enthusiastic, giving Du Heng no chance to refuse. They led the way and ”escorted” him into the Chinese Medicine Department.

”Damn, who is this guy? Why are the Director’s students acting like such bootlickers?”

”Indeed, look at their bowing and scraping. If this young man weren’t so young, I’d have thought their principal had arrived.”

”But this young man is putting on too many airs, just walking so casually in the middle.”

Some people didn’t know, but others did. One said mysteriously, ”The Director is planning to hire an external doctor from a Health Clinic to hold consultations, you know about this, right?”

”Of course. I heard it’s an arrangement with Deputy Director status.”

”A doctor from a Health Clinic? Is he even worthy?”

The one who had asked the question earlier smirked. ”He’s not worthy? Then are you? Do you know who bailed out Director Xu when he stumbled in Digestion Department 1 last time? It was that Health Clinic doctor you said was unworthy.”

The man who had said ”unworthy” glared. ”You...”

”Do you know what the Director’s students have been doing these past few days? Do you know who wrote the formula we saw last week? You don’t know anything. You just know how to be a bootlicker.”

Seeing the other person about to explode, a bystander hurriedly stepped in to mediate. ”Gentlemen, we’re all colleagues here; peace is paramount. Besides, it’s fine if you both like the same person, just compete fairly. Don’t resort to such childish tactics, and no personal attacks, or neither of you will stand a chance.”

”Hmph! I won’t bother with him.”

”Hmph! As if I want to deal with you.”

Afterward, they both left in opposite directions, leaving the mediator standing there.

In Li Jianwei’s office, the students attentively placed a stool for Du Heng. They even used a disposable paper cup and Li Jianwei’s private stash of tea leaves from his cabinet to brew Du Heng a cup of tea.

”Everyone, please don’t.” Du Heng found their over-eagerness a bit much to bear.

”Du, Mr. Li will be here soon. Please wait a moment.”

”Yes, we’ve already gone to fetch him. He’ll be here shortly.”

At this moment, the stubborn young man who had been walking at the back suddenly stepped forward. ”Du, I have a few questions I’d like to ask you.”

”Uh...” Du Heng was momentarily at a loss.

Just as he was wondering how to respond, Li Jianwei finally walked in. ”Welcome, Doctor Du, to our humble department.”

At Li Jianwei’s teasing tone, Du Heng bypassed the stubborn young man and quickly stood up to greet Li Jianwei. ”Professor Li, please don’t make fun of me.”

”How could this be making fun? You’ve been to our hospital many times, but this is your first visit to the Chinese Medicine Department, isn’t it?” Li Jianwei replied with a smile, then immediately turned to the students. ”Alright, all of you, go and attend to your own matters. I’ll chat with your senior brother for a while.”

Only with Li Jianwei’s words did the students begin to file out, except for the stubborn young man, who didn’t want to leave.

But he was yanked out by his fellow junior apprentices. ”What’s your hurry? Du will be here for consultations next week; you can ask whatever you want then. Right now, he needs to discuss things with the teacher. Have some tact, will you?”

”But I...”

”Also, if you annoy the teacher, forget about asking questions now; you won’t get a chance in the future either. Alright, go get busy with your own things.”

In the office, Li Jianwei first congratulated Du Heng. ”Xiao Du, congratulations. Your promotion to Deputy Director went through smoothly and has entered the public announcement period, right?”

Du Heng smiled modestly. ”Our township’s deputy senior title doesn’t carry much weight. There are few people and not much competition, so the process is quick. It’s not like a Class A hospital such as Provincial First Hospital, which is full of talented people and fierce competition.”

”We’re all on the same team here; no need to be so modest,” Li Jianwei said, smiling at Du Heng. ”So, how about starting next week?”

”You can make the arrangements; I’m flexible.”

”Great. I’ve already completed all your paperwork. As we discussed, you’ll come every Wednesday: half a day for outpatient service, half a day for the hospital rooms, and if you have time, help me guide these students.”

”Guiding your students is too strong a term. We’ll learn and improve together.”

Li Jianwei was very satisfied with Du Heng. He was skilled, not arrogant, and treated people kindly—perfect.

It’s just a pity I can’t recruit him directly under me.

Li Jianwei sighed inwardly, then stood up. ”Since you’re here, don’t be in a rush to leave. Let me show you around the department so you can familiarize yourself with the environment and meet our doctors. Right now, the doctors in our Chinese Medicine Department are very curious about you, especially after that gastric cancer treatment formula from last week. It really shocked everyone, and they all want to meet you.”

Du Heng didn’t say anything, just stood up and followed him out.

As Li Jianwei walked, he said, ”At Provincial First Hospital, our Chinese Medicine Department isn’t a key department. So, in many aspects, we can’t compare to other departments, nor can we specialize our work as finely as the Provincial Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital does. We all work together here.”

Speaking of the current situation at Provincial First Hospital, Li Jianwei also felt worried, but he didn’t elaborate. Instead, he began to introduce the department’s situation. ”Our department currently has one Senior, Director Zhang, but he’s semi-retired now and rarely comes in. Including you, there are three deputy seniors, two Mid-level staff, and two technicians.”

No juniors? Du Heng was slightly taken aback. They seem to have quite a few people here.

”Those aren’t our hospital’s doctors; they’re interns and standardized trainees, plus my students. Nine in total.”

That’s a bit few.

”It can’t be helped. The department’s performance isn’t good, so young people who come don’t stay. They have to find other opportunities.”

The Chinese Medicine Department of a Class A hospital has fewer people than even a division of the Gastroenterology Department and can’t retain them. They’re really doing poorly.

At least Xu Pinglin’s Digestion Department 1 also has two deputy seniors, but they have four Mid-level and five junior doctors, not to mention Digestion Department 2 and Digestion Department 3. The two departments are simply not on the same level.

Li Jianwei didn’t know what Du Heng was thinking and continued, ”We have eight nurses and thirty-two beds, but they’re not fully occupied. The vacancy rate is over half.”

Even worse than my own Health Clinic! Half, that’s just sixteen beds occupied. Too miserable.

But on second thought, it’s normal. Traditional Chinese medicine treatment often doesn’t involve infusions or injections. Many patients just take the medicine home to prepare the decoction themselves. With no technical barriers to home treatment, not many are willing to be hospitalized.

”But that’s not a major issue. The outpatient volume of our Chinese Medicine Department is still decent. The two outpatient clinics combined see over a hundred patients a day.”

Du Heng couldn’t quite tell if he was pleased or not.

The patient volume for two consultation rooms is over a hundred, meaning one consultation room sees about sixty to seventy patients. This is a world apart from the single-digit daily volume at the Health Clinic. However, compared to other departments in the same hospital, the gap was still huge.

Du Heng remembered Xu Pinglin once mentioning that their Digestion Department 1 sees about a hundred patients a day in a single consultation room, and they also have two such rooms.

A department in a Class A hospital seeing only sixty to seventy outpatients a day, meaning about thirty in half a day... That’s truly miserable.

Actually, looking at it now, the Chinese Medicine Department seems to have too many doctors for that volume.

Du Heng remained silent, just following Li Jianwei around the Chinese Medicine Department.

But no matter what, Du Heng wouldn’t regret agreeing to Li Jianwei’s offer to join the Chinese Medicine Department.

Even a daily outpatient volume of sixty to seventy was a number he couldn’t even hope to reach at the Health Clinic currently.

The number of patients I’d see here in half a day might be more than I’d see in a whole week at the Health Clinic.

After touring the department area, the final stop was the outpatient clinic in the Outpatient Building.

The arrangement of the outpatient clinic once again showed Du Heng how unwelcome the Chinese Medicine Department was at Provincial First Hospital.

It was on the top floor, in the furthest corner, diagonally across from the restrooms.

But here, Du Heng not only saw two consultation rooms but also an Acupuncture Hall and a Physiotherapy Room next to them. Although the location wasn’t great, the space was definitely ample.

Following Li Jianwei inside, he saw that both rooms were quite busy.

It seems that besides inpatient fees and medicine charges, these services must be major income generators for the Chinese Medicine Department.

After finishing the tour here and discussing the specific details with Li Jianwei again, Du Heng returned to the Health Clinic.

This week, he had to cover Wu Buwei’s shifts, including night shifts and weekend shifts, all so Wu Buwei could pass his professional practice exam next week.

Once Wu Buwei and Xiao Li obtained their professional practice licenses, Du Heng and Yu Haiting’s workload would ease considerably. They would no longer have to worry about the issue of signing off on prescriptions.