CHAPTER 212: 212 LEAVE EARLY

If the number of beds increased by more than twenty, another troublesome issue would arise: Wang Zhenzhen’s position would have to be split. Currently, she actually held three roles: finance, billing, and medical insurance calculation and reimbursement. So, if the number of beds increased, her job functions would have to be separated; she could no longer continue to juggle everything as she currently did.

But putting all these matters together, the fundamental problem ultimately came down to authorized job positions. With approved positions, the financial burden would be shared between various levels of government and the Health Clinic itself. However, if there were no approved positions, all personnel would have to be hired externally. Given the current financial situation of the Health Clinic, this would be unaffordable.

Du Heng thought for a moment. He decided it would be better to be a bit shameless and pass this thorny issue to his senior colleagues. "Secretary Lu," he said, "I’ll focus on treating patients. As for these miscellaneous matters, please give them some more of your attention and put in the extra effort."

Lu Zhongjiang felt Du Heng had become a bit too shrewd lately, not as endearingly straightforward as when they first started working together.

However, he agreed to Du Heng’s request.

Seeing that Lu Zhongjiang had agreed, Du Heng quickly left.

Originally, based on the previous day’s situation, they had expected this influx of patients to last for two or three days. However, when Du Heng arrived at work the next day, only ten people had come.

They were done with all the patients in just an hour.

Seeing that things had quieted down, Wu Buwei went to treat the inpatients, and Du Heng decided to attend to his own affairs.

After all, he couldn’t just give up on Zhao Qiang’s case halfway.

Carrying Zhao Qiang’s file, Du Heng planned to first visit the relevant township departments next door to see if he could secure some subsidies for Zhao Qiang. But before he could even leave, he received a call from Xu Pinglin.

Hearing the urgency in Xu Pinglin’s voice, Du Heng immediately headed to the Provincial First Hospital.

In Xu Pinglin’s office, Du Heng courteously took the disposable teacup handed over by Dr. Hou. Looking at the distressed Xu Pinglin, Du Heng asked, "Director Xu, it’s rare to see you so flustered."

Xu Pinglin sighed and handed a medical record to Du Heng. "Could you help me take a look at this patient first?"

The patient, He, was a 48-year-old woman, an accountant at a public institution, diagnosed with atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia.

Intestinal metaplasia refers to the presence of Paneth cells or goblet cells in the epithelial tissue of the small or large intestinal mucosa, often abbreviated as intestinal metaplasia. Its appearance is somewhat alarming because current research indicates a close link between stomach mucosa intestinal epithelial metaplasia and gastric cancer.

That meant the patient was at risk of cancer.

However, Du Heng didn’t understand why Xu Pinglin was so nervous.

Seeing Du Heng’s puzzled expression, Xu Pinglin said, with a mixture of helplessness and indignation, "This patient is an old patient of our Director; she’s been under his treatment for eight years."

Leaning back in his chair, Xu Pinglin continued, "When she first came, the patient only had gastritis. Because her job involved frequent social dining and drinking, her gastritis was never completely cured and kept recurring. After a follow-up exam this March, it had become atrophic gastritis with intestinal metaplasia."

Du Heng still didn’t understand why Xu Pinglin was so troubled. "Then just treat her. What’s there to get worked up about?"

But Xu Pinglin shook his head, a look of helplessness and indignation on his face. "Our Director already treated this patient. First, he tried medication, but it wasn’t very effective. Later, he used triple therapy, but it was the same; the patient’s condition didn’t improve."

"Then find your Director. Why are you calling me? If I help with the treatment, would your Director agree?"

This time, Xu Pinglin showed a flash of anger, but he quickly suppressed it. "That’s the problem. Our Director submitted his retirement application yesterday. He’s not coming in anymore."

Du Heng was also taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"With the patient’s current condition, our Director has used every method he could think of, but there’s been no improvement, and now there’s a risk of cancer. Given how the illness is progressing, if this atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia can’t be cured, we can only watch as it turns into cancer, and then excise the cancerous tissue. But who can guarantee it can be completely removed?"

"She was treated for eight years, and her gastritis didn’t get better; instead, it progressed towards cancer. Who could accept that? So, the patient came yesterday morning and raised a fuss all morning. She was only persuaded to leave around noon."

"And our Director happened to be at retirement age, so yesterday afternoon, he immediately submitted his retirement application and just stopped coming."

Since it was just the two of them, Xu Pinglin spoke freely, not treating Du Heng as an outsider. He sighed again. "So, the patient came back this morning, insisting we give her an explanation. But what explanation can we give now? We have no other option but to ask you to take a look, see if you have any way to treat her. Otherwise...sigh!"

Du Heng expressed his sympathy for Xu Pinglin’s plight.

It was understandable that the old Director didn’t want to ruin his reputation in his later years and chose to retire early.

But that’s not how things should be done!

"Hasn’t she seen a traditional Chinese medicine doctor?"

"How could she not have? She went to the Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and was also seen in our hospital’s Chinese Medicine Department. Basically, nothing worked."

Why didn’t she make trouble for the traditional Chinese medicine doctors? Du Heng wondered. But then he thought better of it and swallowed his words.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

Before Xu Pinglin could say "Come in," the office door was pushed open.

Li Jianwei walked in, smiling. "I heard Xiao Du was here, so I came to join the excitement. Old Xu, you don’t mind, do you?"

Xu Pinglin gave a wry smile. "You’re already here, what objection could I have? As long as you’re not here to gloat, you’re welcome."

"Tsk, tsk. Look at you. Why would I gloat? I prescribed medicine for this patient of yours too, didn’t I?"

"That’s not the same. The story is going around the hospital that a single patient scared off a Director. Our Digestion Department 1 has become the laughingstock of the entire hospital."

Li Jianwei waved his hand dismissively. "It’s not my place to say, but your old man really lacks a sense of responsibility. Every doctor encounters diseases they can’t cure, but this is the first time I’ve seen someone just abandon their post like that."

What he said was reasonable, and Xu Pinglin deeply agreed.

The old man had shirked his responsibility, and now that burden had fallen directly onto Xu Pinglin’s shoulders. And there was nowhere he could go to complain.

Unless he didn’t want the Director of Digestion Department 1 position.

The original plan was for the old man to stay on for another year. Once Xu Pinglin was promoted to chief doctor, he would smoothly take over Digestion Department 1, allowing the old man to retire with honor.

But now the old man had suddenly quit. Xu Pinglin was the only Deputy Director left in Digestion Department 1, so he had no choice but to take over as Department Director.

Although one was a technical title and the other an administrative post—not quite the same thing—it still felt somewhat off.

Fortunately, it was only for a year. By then, Xu Pinglin’s qualifications would be sufficient, so he didn’t need to dwell on it too much.