1037 Arrangemen (1/2)

”Doctor Zuo, the patient owes us some treatment fees, should we press him to pay?” The head nurse dialled Zuo Cidian's phone, but her tone remained polite.

Zuo Cidian hummed and said in a troubled tone, ”Did the doctor-in-charge not press them for the fees?”

”They did. But they failed to get it.”

”I see…” Zuo Cidian remained silent for two seconds and said, ”Doctor Ling has already conducted preoperative consultation, and the surgery is about to start. So, we definitely have to carry out the surgery. As for the collection of fees, just try to collect as much as possible.”

”What if we fail to collect it?”

”We'll talk about it after the surgery. But the surgery cannot be delayed any further,” Zuo Cidian said decisively and added, ”Since it is just an open surgery, it will not cost a lot. If the patient really can't afford it, we still have a medical fee waiver policy we can use.”

”They switched to a laparoscopic surgery.” The head nurse added and said, ”We can only waive a few of the charges. The patient is not so poor that he can't eat… Oh well, I'll see what I can do.”

The head nurse had no choice but to hang up and go to make some arrangements.

Zuo Cidian thought that she might still ask some people to urge the patient to pay the fees again. If they really could not get the money, they would give up. Afterall, the patients were not the only ones who felt that the medical fees were too expensive, hospitals felt the same as well. With the current surgery volume in Yun Hua Hospital, if 1% of the patients refused to pay their medical fees, by next year, the bank would come after the hospital for the debt they owed them.

The Emergency Medical Center had a larger surgery volume because of Ling Ran. Furthermore, it had a large number of special patients and international patients. So, it could be considered as a rich department, but this fact was built on the basis that they collected fees from their patients regularly. It was okay for them to waive some patients' medical fees, but if this were normalized… Even a country would not be able to afford waiving the medical fees for its people, so it was impossible for a department or a hospital to take this burden from the patients.

Money was not a sin, but the physical manifestation of how much a person worked.

Doctors, nurses, drug manufacturers, medical device manufacturers, and hospital constructors earned money by the amount of work they placed into forming the medical system. This amount of work was converted into numbers, and they were given money to reward them on their efforts.

And this number must come from a source.

Medical expenditure was like a bottomless pit, and this was especially prominent when someone was dying, because their desire to live could not be compared with the price-performance ratio.

Zuo Cidian did not want to be a bad guy, but he was worried that the surgery would be delayed. So, he only went to the ward right before the surgery. He could hear the conversation between the father and daughter from afar.

”Dad, don't worry too much. I've already gotten the money necessary. My boss and leaders lent me some money. They are all rich people, and they said I don't have to pay them back quickly, so they asked me to use the money at ease.”

”It's good that you're able to get the money. Sigh, even though you managed to get the money needed, you still need to spend it wisely, understand? You have to return the money you borrowed. My disease… If I can recover from my disease, I can be discharged earlier and earn back the money. If not, if not… Sigh… I'll just be bringing a huge problem to our family.”

”Dad, stop saying that. The doctor already said that you just have a bad stomach. Once the surgery is completed, you should eat less and rest more, and you'll feel better!”

”Hopefully.”

”I checked before this. Doctor Ling is quite a famous doctor and has treated many people. You don't have to worry. You'll definitely be healed.”

”I will be healed, huh…? Alright, you can go back to your room now and rest. Once my surgery is completed, the nurse will push me out.” The father's voice was still quite calm. It was the type of voice that Zuo Cidian always heard. Suddenly, Zuo Cidian thought about his son.

If he still worked at the township hospital and got sick, he would probably speak to his son with the same tone.

Zuo Cidian thought about this absent-mindedly. When he walked over, the patient was pushed out. The patient's daughter stopped at the door separating her from her dad, and she did not continue moving forward.

”Doctor Ling's skills are among the top in our hospital. You don't have to worry too much.” Zuo Cidian looked at the patient's daughter and comforted her.

”Thank you… doctor.” The patient's daughter still remembered Zuo Cidian, because his head looked like a braised egg, but she had forgotten his name.

”I did not do anything. The surgery is led by Doctor Ling. Live well when your father recovers. Pay back the borrowed money. When you think back about what happened today, it wouldn't be that serious anymore.” Zuo Cidian smiled.

The patient's daughter hesitated and whispered, ”Sorry… I did not manage to borrow money.”

”Hmm?”