Jin Junshan and Wang Zhiwen were organizing their belongings in the consultation room. It was nearly time to clock out, and the patients had long since vanished. Their Traditional Chinese Medicine department was like a haven for the idle rich, although it couldn’t really be described as rich, but idle was definitely the fitting term.
It was extremely idle indeed—patients hardly ever requested to see a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor. Those who did were mostly elderly folks from the villages who believed in it and tended to resist Western medicine.
This was why their Traditional Chinese Medicine department had a place in the Military District Hospital.
"Director, Doctor Bai, why does it seem that you never see patients?"
Bai Xiao was probably the most idle person in the Traditional Chinese Medicine department. All the patients were directed to the three of them, making Bai Xiao appear to be living off the others.
Jin Junshan smiled bitterly, "At first, I also heard rumors that this Doctor Bai was very skilled, that his acupuncture could even replace anesthetics. Back then, the Dean said he had managed to persuade him to join our hospital, and I thought we had recruited an elite who could really elevate our department. Who would have known... heh..."
"Doctor Bai as well, a doctor can’t just know one flashy move. Being a doctor in the Traditional Chinese Medicine department and not knowing how to take a patient’s pulse, nor how to diagnose or prescribe medicine, and only knowing acupuncture, that’s like becoming a mere display piece," said Wang Zhiwen, who was over forty and bold enough to speak out.
In the hospital, Wang Zhiwen could be considered a backbone figure.
"Exactly, I didn’t expect that day at the doorstep to see a patient visiting Doctor Bai for treatment, only to watch him go straight to inserting needles without taking the pulse or prescribing any medicine. Naturally, the patient was frightened off," Jin Junshan added with a wry smile. Now, their department had gained a hot potato someone widely known as a heroic contributor. He was untouchable and unscoldable, a recognized inheritor of national Traditional Chinese Medicine skills. If he were to criticize him, who knows how he might strike back.
"But we can’t keep going on like this in the long term. We’re four people’s worth of staff, with three doing the work."
That was the root of the problem—who would want to help others work while someone else gets paid for doing nothing?
Even more pressing was not the issue of pay, but the neglect of performing one’s duties while holding the position of a doctor.
Every day, the three of them were busy as dogs while that young lady leisurely sipped her tea. This really was too much.
Jin Junshan shook his head, "How about this, let’s have a meeting after we clock out, and we’ll plan the work and divide it up, each to their own responsibilities." This team consisted of just four people; if they were to stir up internal strife now, how could they work together harmoniously then?
The workday was over.
The department truly had a meeting, and Jin Junshan opened the discussion—as the Director, it was pointless to have a meeting if he didn’t speak.
"Our Traditional Chinese Medicine department is understaffed and overworked. Intrinsically, we practice Traditional Chinese Medicine, and we must continuously study to absorb the strengths of diverse schools. As doctors, we must diligently enhance our professional knowledge and skills to be worthy of the title of ’doctor.’
I suggest that starting today, everyone should review their past professional knowledge. We are colleagues as well as friends, and as the saying goes, ’Among any three people walking, I will find something to learn surely.’ I hope we can all consult with one another about things we don’t understand, without being afraid of feeling embarrassed. I’m willing to lose face and ask you all if I don’t understand something.
It’s only through mutual exchange and communication that we can perform better at our work, and what we strive for is to see a few more patients and alleviate their worries and troubles."
This remark was a rather subtle hint for Bai Xiao.
Li Xiangqian and Wang Zhiwen glanced at Bai Xiao, hoping that Doctor Bai would understand the message.