In recent days, the Shenzhen "sewing up of a parturient woman's anus due to insufficient red envelope" incident has attracted high attention, and the resulting large-scale denunciation of medical ethics has been enormous.
Yesterday, an obstetrics and gynecology doctor from one of the city's hospitals revealed the inside story about receiving red envelopes. Regarding this topic, the doctor initially had some reservations but eventually accepted the interview. He said that he was willing to make a small effort towards purifying the conduct of the medical industry.
According to his introduction, the phenomenon of receiving red envelopes was once widespread. In recent years, due to increasingly strict national governance, this phenomenon has decreased significantly. However, in a society driven by personal relationships, some red envelopes are unavoidable. For doctors, this is also a relatively stable source of income.
News Background
Suspected Insufficient Red Envelope
Sewing Parturient Woman's Anus
"The midwife actually sewed my wife's anus shut, too heartless!" Mr. Chen's wife in Shenzhen had her anus sewn shut during childbirth at the hospital. Mr. Chen suspects that it was intentional retaliation by the midwife due to insufficient red envelope, as the midwife had hinted four times for a red envelope while his wife was in labor.
The result of the investigation by the Shenzhen Health Bureau is: there is currently no evidence to prove that the midwife sewed the parturient woman's anus. The midwife noticed postpartum bleeding from the anus and performed a ligation to stop the bleeding, without sewing it up, which turned out to be well-intentioned but poorly executed.
Doctor's Self-Narration
[Received Red Envelope, Try Cesarean Section]
Previously, many medical staff were involved in receiving red envelopes, mainly due to societal issues. When a patient needs surgery, if the family doesn't give a red envelope, they feel uneasy. Especially in our obstetrics and gynecology department, childbirth is a joyous event for every family, so people prefer things to go smoothly. In recent years, the state has become stricter in managing red envelopes for medical personnel. Hospitals have implemented many measures, and if discovered, there can be significant trouble. As a result, the practice of receiving red envelopes has clearly decreased, but it still happens occasionally.
Take cesarean sections for example. Nowadays, the municipal health bureau strictly limits the cesarean section rate. If vaginal delivery is possible, cesarean sections are not allowed. In reality, many patients fear the pain of natural birth and strongly request a cesarean section, thus seeking our help. For doctors, there is some flexibility in describing the patient's condition. A slight adjustment could either meet the requirements for a cesarean section or not. At this point, if a red envelope is received, the doctor will try their best to perform the cesarean section surgery. This kind of red envelope, doctors dare to accept because it is voluntarily given by the patient, and they won't report after giving it.
["Greedy" Doctors Intentionally Scare Families]
The amount of red envelopes is not fixed, depending on the patient's economic strength, mood, and the specific hospital. Some diseases involve tight medical resources, making hospitalization difficult, so larger red envelopes are given. For general obstetrics and gynecology surgeries, the amount ranges from a couple of hundred to over a thousand yuan. In our small hospital, normal delivery costs 2000 yuan, cesarean section costs 3000 yuan, and red envelopes generally don't exceed 1000 yuan. I haven't encountered any red envelopes over a thousand yuan.
Doctors usually receive red envelopes before surgery when explaining the condition one-on-one with the patient's family. This depends on the doctor's medical ethics. A conscientious doctor will objectively explain the condition, while those greedy for red envelopes will exaggerate the severity of the condition, turning a probability of a few per thousand into a few percent or even tens of percent. Generally, patients' families lack medical knowledge and cannot withstand being scared, so they end up giving red envelopes.
[Money from Strangers, Generally Not Accepted]
All these phenomena I mentioned are from the past. Nowadays, fewer doctors rely on scaring patients to get red envelopes. It's rare for red envelopes to be obtained through scare tactics alone. Money from strangers, we generally don't dare to accept. We don't know the background of the giver and fear that they might give money and then report us later. However, if the patient or their family asks someone in between to deliver the red envelope, it becomes harder to refuse. China is a society driven by personal relationships. As intermediaries, people often don't want to lose face after helping others, and those asking for help also don't want to owe favors. In such cases, accepting red envelopes feels more secure.
Actually, working in a hospital, not accepting red envelopes is a skill. Not just doctors and nurses, even administrative staff are often asked for favors, like finding experts or arranging beds. The common Chinese mindset is that if you ask for help, you should give a red envelope. In such situations, completely refusing red envelopes is quite challenging.
[High Social Expectations, No Longer Daring to Accept]
Nowadays, the social call to ban red envelopes is getting louder, and we generally don't dare to accept them anymore. Additionally, as a highly educated medical professional, I do have professional ideals. Helping save lives and treat patients makes me feel happy and valuable. Actually, most of us are still pretty good; it's just that society misunderstands us deeply.
I've refused quite a few red envelopes. During one-on-one explanations of conditions, the patient's family would roll up RMB and shove it into my hand, which I immediately rejected without even checking the amount. Based on the thickness of the bills, it was likely a few hundred yuan. The patient's family usually expresses gratitude, and some even try to give another red envelope upon discharge. As a doctor, I feel proud of this. Before the surgery, giving a red envelope means they're afraid of being mistreated. After discharge, giving another shows sincerity. I still didn't accept it. A few hundred extra won't make me rich, but losing a good reputation isn't worth it. I prefer the latter.
Citizens' Voices
Not Sending, Unsettling; Sending, Uncertain
Regarding whether or not to give doctors red envelopes, yesterday, a journalist randomly interviewed ten citizens near a hospital. They unanimously believed that doctors shouldn't accept red envelopes, as the cost of medical treatment already includes the fees for the doctor's meticulous treatment. However, in real life, many people still give red envelopes. Mr. Zhang is an example.
"When my wife gave birth, I also gave the doctor a red envelope. Although I criticize others harshly, when it comes to my own situation, I still feel apprehensive. Childbirth is a big deal for a family. If something goes wrong because of not giving enough money, I can't afford to lose."
Ms. Zeng also gave a red envelope when she had her child. "I didn't want to give it at first. But after checking with other patients in the hospital, I learned that everyone else was giving them. If we didn't, wouldn't it make us seem ignorant? And if anything went wrong, it would be too late to regret."
Grandma Zhao sent a red envelope to a good doctor her neighbor helped find for her daughter's childbirth. "When you ask for help, how can you not spend money? Would just talking persuade someone to help you? Regardless of whether you need further assistance from them, even meeting them would be awkward."
Currently, citizens have a prevalent mindset regarding giving red envelopes to doctors: not sending makes them uneasy, but sending makes them uncertain. Interviewees unanimously believe that the medical system should be further improved, and the medical ethics rectified, allowing patients to fairly receive medical services and equally enjoy medical resources. Everyone stops giving red envelopes, and there's no need to give them, avoiding forced competition and ensuring peace of mind when seeking medical care.
Related News
First Medical Malpractice Crime in the City
Victim Regrets Not Giving Red Envelope
Zheng Qingfeng is the victim of the first medical malpractice crime in the city. On December 24, 2003, the 22-year-old Zheng Qingfeng happily welcomed her baby, but soon after the cesarean section, she felt unbearable abdominal pain. On January 8, 2004, Ninghe County Hospital removed a piece of gauze measuring 39x18 centimeters from her abdomen through surgery. Since most of her small intestine, cecum, and colon had already rotted and adhered, the doctor decided to retain only 1.7 meters of the small intestine and remove the rest. Zheng Qingfeng has since suffered from short bowel syndrome, unable to gain weight regardless of how much she eats, feeling weak all over, and having low immunity.
Ninghe County Court sentenced Dr. Fu from Renfeng Hospital (now renamed Qilihai Hospital) to one and a half years in prison, suspended for two years, making him the first doctor in the city to be held criminally responsible for a medical accident. The Second Intermediate People's Court ruled that Qilihai Hospital compensate Zheng Qingfeng over 160,000 yuan including compensation for mental distress, and resolve subsequent treatment costs as they arise. To date, Zheng Qingfeng's father, Zheng Yongtun, continues to pursue subsequent treatment costs on behalf of his daughter.
Yesterday, Zheng Yongtun said in an interview: "At the time, I didn't give the doctor a red envelope for my daughter's surgery. Looking back now, I can't help but blame myself. Although what happened cannot be undone, I always imagine that if giving a red envelope could have spared my daughter from suffering, I would rather have given it."