An already tense relationship between patients and doctors in this southern
city has worsened following the deaths of two babies.
Eight-month-old Li
Xinyi, who suffered from congenital heart disease, died last Tuesday after two
hospitals refused her a bed, saying their wards were full.
Her heart
stopped beating at about 3:30 pm, more than eight hours after her mother took
her to the first hospital at about 7am.
Five days earlier, 21-month-old
Long Zhen died from respiratory failure caused by a serious trauma injury.
The toddler was impaled to
a depth of about 30 cm on an iron spike after falling from the balcony of his
home on July 4.
An emergency department doctor at the leading Shenzhen
Children's Hospital said the boy needed to be hospitalized.
However, a
doctor in the hospitalization department advised his parents to seek treatment
at another hospital because its enteroscope for children was being repaired.
Over the next eight hours, the parents rushed from one public hospital
to another but were told no effective treatment was available. At their fourth
port of call doctors undertook some basic checks before suggesting the parents
took the boy for surgery at the Shenzhen Children's Hospital.
The boy,
who sang songs throughout his ordeal, died on the second day after receiving
emergency surgery.
After carrying out separate investigations, the
city's health authority said no one should be held directly responsible for Li's
death as it was due to the nature of her condition.
In Long's case,
however, the doctor at hospitalization department of Shenzhen Children's
Hospital was found to have violated regulations as he should have solicited the
opinion of more senior medics before rejecting the boy.
Despite
apologies from the management of Shenzhen Children's Hospital and the doctor
being punished, the two incidents have caused outrage among the city's
residents.
Shen Yi, who works for a consultancy firm, told China Daily:
"Most of the doctors in these two incidents did not violate existing principles
of practice, but neither did they offer any help or guidance to the parents who
had little idea about how to deal with their emergencies. They should take the
blame for the deaths of these two youngsters."
Others have questioned
the general medical system and complained about the shortage of medical
resources for children.
However, one physician, who asked to remain
anonymous, told China Daily that the government's decreased spending on
hospitals, harsh management practices and an increased number of medical
disputes had greatly damaged doctors' passion for their jobs.
"Normally
a doctor is obliged to see at least 60 patients a day, which allows us no more
than 15 minutes with each one. If you spend more time with someone, you might be
reprimanded," he said.
"As
well as the intensive workload, the misunderstanding and distrust of patients
and their family members are a great burden on doctors.
"If we don't
strictly follow the principles, we might have to take responsibility for any
medical disputes."
(China Daily 07/17/2007 page 5)
Vocabulary:
trauma:外伤
ordeal:折磨、痛苦的经验
reprimand:斥责
Questions:
1. How did Li Xinyi and Long Zhen die?
2. How did Long Zhen pass the time as he went from hospital to
hospital?
3. What reasons did the anonymous physician give about why doctor's had lost
some of their passion for the job?
Answers:
1. They died from congenital heart disease and respiratory failure cause
by a trauma injury, respectively.
2. He sang songs throughout the ordeal.
3. Decreased government spending on hospitals, harsh management practices and
an increase in the number of medical disputes.
(英语点津 Linda 编辑)
About the broadcaster:
Suzann Riddle is a senior double majoring in Health Care
Management and Economics at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. She finds
herself at China Daily Website after visiting many areas of China as a Holland
Fellow, Appalachian's international exchange program with Fudan University.