Share to: Comments welcome, I would like to comment. In response to this, Mr. Chao, the director of the hospital's publicity department, said that doctors recommending health supplements to patients does not comply with hospital regulations, and such actions are personal behaviors. The hospital will educate and persuade the involved doctor. Yesterday, the reporter learned from the Municipal Health Bureau that doctors should be cautious when recommending health supplements other than therapeutic drugs to patients. If it is found that a doctor profits from this or engages in commercial bribery, the Health Bureau will hold the relevant person responsible.
■ Patient's Story
■ Hospital's Response
A photo taken by the reporter Zhu Jialei shows the commodity department inside Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital.
The day before yesterday, the reporter went to the pediatric outpatient department on the 3rd floor of Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital. At that time, Dr. Li Qing was diagnosing patients. The reporter followed a patient into the examination room. She first performed a physical examination on the child, then checked the child's physical examination report. "There is nothing wrong with the child, all indicators are normal, the belly button is slightly protruding, you can use Qu Shanbao, we have it for sale at the commodity department on the first floor," said Li Qing. She added that this is a common disease among newborns, and the child will recover naturally after growing for a year. Meanwhile, the child is slightly deficient in calcium and iron, "you can supplement with liquid calcium, do you have Ru Jiali at home?" asked Li Qing, and the family member answered affirmatively.
Mr. Ji noticed that the hospital's commodity department is a supermarket selling various maternal and infant products, some of which are health supplements. The four health supplements recommended by the doctor cost over a thousand yuan. "The medicine for treatment only costs dozens of yuan, but the health supplements cost over a thousand yuan, it's too expensive. But since the doctor suggested it, I bought two of them." Mr. Ji said that after returning home, he couldn't help but think about two questions: if the child is sick, why not directly prescribe medicine instead of suggesting the family buy such expensive health supplements? Moreover, the doctor informed the family that they sell these items at the hospital's commodity department, isn't this a form of indirect promotion?
Doctor's behavior is considered a violation
For this kind of pricey health supplement, why would doctors frequently recommend them? For this reason, the reporter inquired with Dr. Li Qing. She stated that health supplements are beneficial and harmless to children's health, the doctor's suggestion is for the family to choose, and it is not mandatory. The reason she informed the family to purchase downstairs is just to provide convenience for the patient. "Health supplements are available in other hospitals as well, it's just because our hospital doesn't have a self-funded pharmacy, so they are sold in the commodity department," said Li Qing. Writing notes for the family members is based on their needs, not a hard medical instruction.
Regarding this situation, the reporter contacted the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau (Weibo). A relevant official stated that there are currently no regulations specifying whether doctors can recommend health supplements to patients, but each hospital has its own internal regulations. "How to determine if a doctor improperly recommends health supplements is a relatively difficult issue, a simple introduction can be understood," said the official. If it is discovered that a doctor profits from this, or engages in commercial bribery or improper practices, the Health Bureau will hold the relevant person responsible.
Reported by Huang Haili, intern reporters Chen He and Qin Jiwei.
Sales personnel said that the store's fish oil, calcium tablets, hernia belts, and other products have single brands, and FiShilan, Ru Jiali, and Qu Shanbao are the best sellers. FiShilan costs 480 yuan, Qu Shanbao costs 280 yuan, "FiShilan is an imported product, the DHA mentioned in the doctor's small white note refers to this."
That afternoon, the reporter saw Dr. Li Qing recommending these few health supplements to other patients again, and some families also left with small notes. According to observations, the small notes held by the patients were all registration slips, about four to five centimeters long and two centimeters wide, marked with the dosage of the health supplements. Many family members of patients expressed that during the diagnosis, the doctor recommended health supplements to them, but they did not intend to buy them. "Other hospitals' doctors also recommend them, breast enlargement products effective?, you can buy or not buy, if you want to buy, you shouldn't buy from the hospital, it's too expensive." However, many family members said that since the doctor recommended them, and it's for the child's good, even if it's a bit expensive, they still need to buy them.
Can Report Tendency Sales
At the hospital's commodity department, the reporter saw shelves full of food and drinks, maternal and infant products, daily necessities, and counters with health supplements fully stocked. Several salespeople dressed in white coats served consumers.
Recently, citizen Mr. Ji took his child to the pediatric outpatient department of Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital (Weibo) for a follow-up visit. After the attending doctor prescribed therapeutic drugs, he also recommended him to buy health supplements worth over a thousand yuan at the hospital's commodity department.
■ Reporter Investigation
Yesterday morning, Mr. Chao, the director of the Publicity Department of Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, said that the hospital stipulates that doctors cannot recommend health supplements to patients. It may be that some doctors suggest purchases out of consideration for the patients, but it is absolutely not mandatory. This doctor's action belongs to personal behavior, and the hospital will communicate with the involved doctor based on patient feedback and persuade and educate them.
The official also stated that if patients find that doctors tend to promote health supplements and obtain relevant evidence, they can report it to the Health Bureau.
Hospital Commodity Department Business Booming
■ Municipal Health Bureau
During visits to major pharmacies, the reporter did not see these branded health supplements. Through online inquiries, the reporter saw some online stores selling FiShilan at around 460 yuan. On the official website of Qu Shanbao hernia belt, the promotional price for the product is 248 yuan.
In addition, the commodity department is the hospital's third industry, operated by a maternal and infant service company. It is administratively managed by the hospital, but doctors cannot have any interest relationship with the commodity department. The price of health supplements must be reported to relevant departments for unified pricing, and the price will not be too high. "These are edible health supplements, the commodity department is fully qualified to sell them," said Mr. Chao. Health supplements are difficult to enter pharmacies for sale through approval, and the sales volume of these health supplements is not large, so there is no need to enter the pharmacy.
Doctors Recommend Health Products
Just Recommendations, No Compulsion
In the pediatric outpatient corridor, the reporter saw that the wall-mounted TV was broadcasting advertisements for FiShilan deep-sea fish oil capsules. In the consultation room, a medical staff member told the reporter that every doctor in pediatrics would recommend health supplements to patients, and these are sold at the hospital's commodity department. "It won't be forced, if you believe it's effective and have the financial means, you can buy it, if you don't want to buy it, it won't be forced."
When the reporter asked how many people buy health supplements worth a thousand yuan, the salesperson said: "Both mothers and newborns need to supplement this, many people come directly and spend thousands of yuan."
Mr. Ji said that during the waiting period, he and his wife saw other patient families holding small notes coming out of the examination room. One person left and then returned to the examination room, holding the note and asking if they could not buy it.
On February 3rd, citizen Mr. Ji and his wife brought their 42-day-old child to the pediatric outpatient department of Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital for a follow-up visit. After checking all indicators, Mr. Ji handed the results to the attending doctor, Ms. Li Qing (pseudonym). "She quickly glanced at the examination report and said that most indicators were basically normal, just the digestive aspect needs strengthening," said Mr. Ji. Li Qing prescribed three boxes of bifidobacteria prescription drugs for the child, costing dozens of yuan. Subsequently, Li Qing said that the child's navel was protruding, with mild hernia, and Qu Shanbao could be used for treatment. To enhance the child's brain development and supplement trace elements, Li Qing also recommended FiShilan deep-sea fish oil capsules and Ru Jiali. Finally, Li Qing wrote on a small white note the names of FiShilan, Ru Jiali, Fu Le Cream, Qu Shanbao (the first three are health products, the last one is medical equipment), as well as the daily dosage of some products, and suggested they buy them from the hospital's commodity department.
At the end of the diagnosis, Li Qing said that the child's brain development was within the normal range, but using DHA could promote brain development. "You can try FiShilan, it's a European brand, with good effects in all aspects, the commodity department downstairs also sells it." The parents thanked the doctor for the treatment and left. The reporter learned that in the end, the family only bought Qu Shanbao.