System Came When the Doctor was Thirty
Chapter 51: The Meaning of Being a Doctor!
"Director Lin, what did you say? Our department was reported? What was the complaint about?" In the break room, Lu Cheng just finished putting on his white coat, when Director Lin Qianlong walked in from outside, catching Lu Cheng by surprise.
Lin Qianlong glanced at Lu Cheng but didn't respond.
Lu Cheng quickly gathered his thoughts from his reception memories: "Director Lin, could you just tell me directly, where did I go wrong?"
It's quite common for doctors to be reported by patients. The key is whether the report is valid.
"The report is against our department, not specifically against you, Xiao Lu, but the reason is related to you."
"In May this year, a patient was transferred from our department and met another patient of ours undergoing surgery for a follow-up at Director Peng Haibo's orthopedics department."
"They claimed we refused to treat them!" Lin Qianlong said.
Lu Cheng: "..."
"Director Lin, we didn't do tendon suturing in May, did we? Why is this patient reporting us instead of the orthopedics department?"
Lin Qianlong said helplessly, "The issue is, even now, the orthopedics department isn't performing tendon suturing, whereas our emergency department does?"
"Though the report is invalid, the medical office still has to process it, and I've spent most of the day talking with him."
"The patient complains about our service attitude. Luckily, I didn't tell him you used to be an orthopedic doctor, otherwise he might have reported you too."
"He wants us to compensate him, saying originally it could have been solved for 3,000 yuan, but he spent over 6,000..."
Lu Cheng relaxed slightly: "The medical office didn't acknowledge this invalid report, right?"
"Of course not, the medical office has detailed records of surgery authorization applications; those orthopedics patients are still complaining, and it just couldn't be done back then..."
"Professor Chen joined the emergency department only in July; if this logic doesn't hold, then nobody would dare do anything."
"Meanwhile, I apologized at least a hundred times..." Lin Qianlong patted his thigh, equally helpless.
Just then, Zeng Huanqi walked in with four bowls of noodles, hesitated for less than a second seeing Lin Qianlong: "Director Lin, just in time, breakfast is here."
"You also have a serving; I've already eaten and I'm about to go off-duty for rest."
Seeing four bowls, Lin Qianlong didn't suspect anything, opened the package directly, and asked, "Zeng Huanqi, who's on ward duty today?"
"Today it's Daihua, he's already on the way." Zeng Huanqi casually glanced in the direction of Lu Cheng and responded naturally.
Though Zeng Huanqi had connections, he literally wore discretion on his forehead and kept silent.
"Daihua, good!~"
"Recently the medical records need to be detailed; I received news that the health bureau's staff will come to randomly check the records in a couple of days, let's not be caught as examples."
"Xiao Lu, your medical records are well done, help review some records up on the rack!~" Lin Qianlong stirred the noodles and then asked, "Is Professor Chen and Professor Tong still enjoying little pleasures?"
"Hmm, they might come over later..." Zeng Huanqi replied.
"Director Lin, Du Daihua said he's already arrived; I'm leaving the shift now; I didn't rest well yesterday." Zeng Huanqi expressed his hunger profoundly yet logically.
Lin Qianlong nodded in approval: "Then quickly go rest, though you're off-duty, stay ready for backup, with Professor Chen and Professor Tong present, the operation numbers in our department have increased..."
After breakfast, Lu Cheng immediately took Du Daihua for rounds.
Currently, in the surgical group, there are four patients in total, Bed 1 and Bed 2: one is a Spleen Preservation Surgery by Lu Cheng, the eleventh Spleen Preservation Surgery in the hospital, and the first led by this hospital's doctors.
Bed 2 is a major debridement patient, operated post by Zhang Tiesheng; Bed 3 is Lu Cheng's first case of second region flexor tendon injury, with surgery quality overseen by Professor Tong Yuan'an.
Bed 4 is a tendon rupture operated by Professor Tong Yuan'an personally on July 1, currently recovering very well.
Since the ward doctor is Du Daihua, Lu Cheng customarily conducts rounds, specifically examining Bed 1 thoroughly, carrying out a very detailed examination.
No issues were found, Lu Cheng finally settled: "Auntie, it's already the third day post-operation, my examination didn't reveal any abdominal tenderness, indicating the hemostasis effect was good."
"The chances of rebleeding are low now; today you can use a cane to walk around, no longer limited to walking to the toilet."
To lead a surgery, handling it still requires following up; first, understanding a surgery's complications is crucial.
This was previously tested by Chen Song on Lu Cheng, whose memorization skills were good, so Chen Song entrusted Lu Cheng with solo rounds.
If Lu Cheng didn't know about postoperative bleeding, re-rupture, peritonitis, spleen leakage complications, or how to check for them, then Chen Song certainly wouldn't dare teach him how to lead surgery.
"Thank you, Dr. Lu." Auntie was very pleased.
"I heard from yesterday's Dr. Zeng that you're the first in our hospital to perform my kind of surgery; previously, in cases like mine, they would directly remove the spleen?" Auntie, around forty-nine years old, looked amiable.
Du Daihua explained: "Yes, Auntie, yours was an acute spleen rupture, with life-threatening risk during transfer, requiring urgent surgery."
"We used to treat this condition with splenectomy; Spleen Preservation Surgery is challenging and normally only the State Hospital can conduct it regularly."
"In our county and other county hospitals, they directly remove the spleen. Dr. Lu recently learned Spleen Preservation Surgery from Professor Chen at Xiangya Second Hospital."
"Otherwise, you would have had your spleen removed."
Auntie's face changed slightly: "Wouldn't removing the spleen cause problems?"
Lu Cheng replied: "Not major problems, but it can lower the immunity and make anemia more likely."
"When saving life is necessary, there's no choice; however, whenever possible, preserving the spleen is prioritized."
"Previously we opted for splenectomy because, firstly, Spleen Preservation Surgery is indeed very difficult; if not handled correctly, it can rupture again, leading to re-shock, increased infection risk, among other hazards."
"At that point, the patient suffers even more, better to remove it directly and solve the issue."
"Auntie, you can't do intense exercise now?" After explaining, Lu Cheng advised Du Daihua: "For this Auntie, the antibiotic can be stopped today; her condition seems good, also stop the intravenous pain medication, switch to oral painkillers."
"Dr. Lu, thank you."
"You're impressive!" Auntie touched her belly, smiling all over, holding some hope.
"I am not that impressive; in our emergency department, patients are transferred every day."
"For example, this morning a multi-trauma patient died during transfer."
"I couldn't help, didn't dare let the patient into the operating room, simply couldn't handle it," Lu Cheng said candidly.
"Dr. Lu, but you're a good doctor!~" Auntie winked.
While the public hopes every doctor they meet is a miracle worker and all people are trustworthy, that's merely a wish.
Everyone's capability has its limits.
Lu Cheng smiled back: "It's what we should do; if it's doable, we'll strive to do our best; if powerless, there's nothing to be done."
"Auntie, have a good rest; if you recover well, you can be discharged this weekend. After discharge, no need to change dressings anymore, just wait for the stitches to be removed!"
Being able to perform surgery means having skill points, but another part comes from heartfelt gratitude; patients' and families' smiling faces are sentiments many professions can never experience.
"Dr. Lu, have some fruit..." Auntie courteously invited, but Lu Cheng was already moving towards Bed 2...
In the break room, Professor Tong Yuan'an asked Chen Song: "Are you not going to check on the splenectomy led by Xiao Lu?"
"I've checked everything, nothing special, what else is there to check?"
Chen Song showed disdain: "Tong Yuan'an, you don't think I'm like you, saying Xiao Lu learned Spleen Preservation Surgery quickly was just a ploy on you, right?"
Lin Qianlong smiled companionably: "Two professors, you're both great teachers, no need to argue, Xiao Lu would be fine under any of your guidance."
"No way!" Chen Song's tone was decisive.
"Director Lin, you're not minding this..." Tong Yuan'an turned.