Chapter 81: No Way To Sue!
As evening approached, the sunset cast its glow, but even without sunlight reaching the Emergency Department, the fluorescent lights still illuminated the general ward brightly.
Zeng Huanqi crossed his legs and replied, “Yes, alright, Director Lin, I’m in the department! ~ Xiao Lu himself said his manual reduction quality is quite good.”
“He also photographed and organized the X-ray examination results before and after surgery, wrote a very detailed operative record, and the documentation is very good.”
“Yes, the informed consent forms have also been saved.”
“I also called the Medical Affairs Department. In our hospital, the authority for manual reduction is routinely granted to doctors in Orthopedics and the Emergency Department. Lu Cheng’s surgical permissions were authorized when he joined the hospital.”
“Okay, fine, I understand, Director Lin.”
……
Nine o’clock in the evening, the night was deep, and the cicadas outside continued to chirp incessantly.
Xiang Kuihua’s computer was logged into the emergency system’s consultation system, with many disease types.
However, Xiang Kuihua’s mouse hovered over the information for a patient with a fracture of the fibula midshaft.
Lu Cheng’s diagnosis was very detailed.
Lower limb trauma.
Fibula midshaft fracture （AO A1.2 type ）.
Treatment recommendations: 1. The fracture is displaced and has surgical indications. Surgery or manual reduction is recommended. After informing the patient of the detailed risks of surgery and manual reduction, the patient requested manual reduction.
2. Apply plaster cast for external fixation, with one month of full rest postoperatively.
3. Administer celecoxib 200mg qd for pain relief and Myolgin 300mg bid for swelling reduction.
4. Re-examine promptly one month after surgery. The next steps of diagnosis and treatment will be determined based on the examination results.
5. Follow up if discomfort arises.
“A displaced fracture, a fracture with surgical indications, why did you choose manual reduction? Lu Cheng, are you deliberately trying to make things difficult for me?” Xiang Kuihua’s mouth twitched…
After thinking for a moment, Xiang Kuihua felt that if things continued like this, problems might arise, so he found Tang Zhongqi’s number in the address book and called him.
“Director Tang, it’s me, Xiang Kuihua from Orthopedics. I need to report something to you…”
……
Ten o’clock at night, Lu Cheng rubbed his eyes, closed the textbook “Huang Jiasi’s General Surgery,” marked the reading page with a bookmark, and stretched in the doctor’s lounge!
He had to admit that it felt great to read while also having some extra “points” (enhancement).
The “points” enhancement could assist Lu Cheng in generating many key points from scratch, and re-reading allowed him to discover many details in the textbook, leading to new insights.
Anyone who studies medicine knows that each time they read a textbook, they gain new understanding and insights. This kind of reading, not for exams, but for new experiences, is truly exhilarating.
After closing the book, Lu Cheng put on his white coat and prepared to make rounds again before waiting to get off work at midnight and go home.
However, just as Lu Cheng fastened two buttons, the telephone rang.
Lu Cheng shifted a few steps to the side, picked up his mobile phone from the lounge table, and smiled as he read the contact name: “Hello, Director Tang, this is Lu Cheng from the Emergency Department.”
The caller was Tang Zhongqi from the Medical Affairs Department. Tang Zhongqi was the Deputy Director of the office, responsible for physician practice registration and surgical permission registration at the hospital.
“Doctor Lu, I heard that you are now performing manual reduction of fractures in the Emergency Department. Isn’t that a bit irregular?”
“Stop it, fractures are a specialized disease type for Orthopedics,” Tang Zhongqi’s deep voice was unquestionable.
“Director Tang, have you made a mistake? Does our hospital have extra exclusive disease types? At the meeting, wasn’t it emphasized that the capable should do more?”
“In principle, as long as other specialty departments are not handling a disease type and one has confidence in managing it, one can apply for permission from the Medical Affairs Department?” Lu Cheng’s tone was calm, his memory clear.
The patient volume in county hospitals is not large, and the specialization is not so detailed.
General Surgery covers many disease types such as mammary and thyroid surgery, vascular surgery, and hepatobiliary surgery.
Tang Zhongqi was treating Lu Cheng like a simpleton.
Tang Zhongqi was in his office, so he naturally knew the usual rules: “Doctor Lu, really, there’s no need for this. You are undermining Orthopedics.”
Tang Zhongqi dared not refute Lu Cheng’s words because he was unsure if Lu Cheng was recording; “Our hospital doesn’t have many fracture patients. For those with surgical indications, please don’t do manual reduction.”
Lu Cheng replied with a smile, “Director Tang, for fractures with absolute surgical indications, our Emergency Department routinely requests consultations from Orthopedics.”
“For those with relative indications, or those with clear indications for manual reduction after thorough evaluation, we perform manual reduction only after fully considering the patient’s informed consent and at the patient’s request.”
“Our Emergency Department has always been the most rigorous in recognizing and differentiating patient disease types.”
Tang Zhongqi said, “Then what will the Orthopedics staff do if you do this? Aren’t you causing trouble?”
Lu Cheng said, “Director Tang, how is this me causing trouble?”
“It’s very simple. If Orthopedics wants to, they can set up an Orthopedics clinic in the Emergency Department, or Orthopedics can also perform manual reduction for patients?”
“Manual reduction is not an exclusive surgical permission for our Emergency Department…!”
Tang Zhongqi said, “Doctor Lu, this is actually detrimental to harmony among colleagues within the hospital. If you absolutely refuse to listen to advice, I will have to suspend your practice rights for manual reduction.”
Upon hearing this, Lu Cheng was silent for a moment, then replied, “Director Tang, you are the leader. Suspending my practice rights for manual reduction is within your authority, but I need to see an announcement!~”
“Whether it’s in the internal group or on the official website, I need to know the specific reasons from the Medical Affairs Department for suspending my surgical practice rights!~”
Tang Zhongqi’s tone raised a few notches: “Lu Cheng? You should be a smart person. Don’t you understand how to de-escalate? Do you have to make things so rigid?”
Lu Cheng replied, “Director Tang, I do my work diligently and am a serious Emergency Department doctor. How am I being unreasonable?”
“And how am I making things rigid?”
“Manual reduction is a consistent characteristic of the Orthopedics department at the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital. If the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital can do it, why can’t our People’s Hospital?”
“In any case, my stance is clear. Director Tang, if you want to suspend my surgical practice rights, I must see the documents and reasons, and I will inquire about it daily!~”
“Anyone who dares to suspend my practice rights privately and without cause is acting against the rules!~”
Tang Zhongqi had clearly taken a biased stance, but Lu Cheng was not flustered. He was not targeting anyone, nor was he verbally abusing Tang Zhongqi.
As long as Tang Zhongqi didn’t stir up trouble himself, there would be no issues with this matter.
If Tang Zhongqi truly caused trouble behind his back based on Xiang Kuihua’s words, Lu Cheng wouldn’t mind confronting him.
“If I say you stop the clinic, you stop the clinic; this is based on the comprehensive considerations of the Medical Affairs Department.”
“Why issue an announcement? I’m telling you, and you knowing this is sufficient.”
“Anyway, I’ve warned you. You no longer have the practice rights for this surgery, so don’t stir up trouble unnecessarily!~” Tang Zhongqi sternly cautioned.
Lu Cheng asked back, “Director Tang? Who is the person who made the decision to cancel my surgical practice rights?”
“Lu Cheng? Are you not obeying orders?” Tang Zhongqi was somewhat annoyed that he couldn’t suppress Lu Cheng.
Lu Cheng smiled and hung up the phone: “I’m going to the Medical Affairs Department now to inquire. It should have been handled by the on-duty supervisor…”
“Lu Cheng!~” Tang Zhongqi called out again, only to find he was shouting into the void.
Since Lu Cheng was not on ward duty or clinic duty, he could freely head directly towards the Medical Affairs Department.
