I Can Talk to the Internal Organs-Chapter 330 - 296: Poaching Talent from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital
"Hey, here’s the new issue of the Five Viscera manga."
Today is Lu Jiu’s day off, and he found an excuse to meet up with Tang Yi.
He then handed over the Five Viscera manga he had prepared.
"Not bad, Brother Lu, the content of your manga is getting richer. I feel if these kids can memorize all of this and cultivate good habits from a young age, they’ll grow up without any health issues at all." Tang Yi flipped through the manga, unable to put it down.
This is way more interesting than textbooks.
Sometimes Tang Yi feels it would be better to replace textbooks with manga; this might get more kids interested in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
"It’s difficult. There are too many distractions in the outside world—phones, snacks, the example set by parents—all these affect whether children can truly practice what they learn. Just reading manga without changing their habits in those areas is useless," Lu Jiu remarked.
With a smile, Tang Yi responded, "True, many patients know what they should do to stay healthy, but they just can’t manage it."
Lu Jiu laughed, "And what about you? The TCM department can’t survive any longer; there’s little point in sticking it out. I suspect Dean Qi also doesn’t want you to stay at the hospital because for other people there, you guys are different."
It’s quite ironic when TCM practitioners in a TCM hospital are considered misfits.
For those like Tang Yi in the TCM department, once it’s dissolved, if they stay, they are sure to be reassigned to other departments.
They’ll have to learn how to operate medical equipment, and forget about consultations and prescribing. At most, they would prescribe some Chinese patent medicine to patients.
Moreover, others certainly wouldn’t welcome them warmly.
After all, they accompanied Dean Qi in trying to reform the hospital, and now that they’ve failed, most people might be gloating.
In public hospitals, everyone seeks stability.
As long as you don’t stir up trouble, everyone can just get by.
As for the future of the hospital, why should it matter to them?
Do state-run entities really go bankrupt?
In short, if Tang Yi chooses to stay, then all his TCM knowledge might as well have been learned for nothing.
Because TCM requires not just book learning, but also close interaction with patients.
If you’re away from people and constantly interacting with machines, and all evaluation standards are focused on medical equipment, over time, the skills of observation, listening, questioning, and feeling will naturally deteriorate.
This is why in recent years, many TCM graduates are gradually transitioning to Western medicine.
If no one allows them to practice, how can they improve?
Just like in Western medicine, where performing surgeries requires accumulating a lot of experience.
Faced with Lu Jiu’s repeated invitation, Tang Yi hesitated noticeably this time.
In fact, a few days ago, Ji Yuanning had approached him. It’s clear the TCM department isn’t viable anymore. If he wants to leave, he can notify the dean ahead of time, and the dean will arrange a place for him.
If he doesn’t want to leave, that’s fine, but his future situation might not be very comfortable.
Tang Yi somewhat understands the current state of Lu Jiu TCM Hospital.
Even with the current level of popularity, more people are going to Lu Jiu TCM Hospital than theirs.
And this has only happened in just three or four months.
"Brother Lu, why can’t these people stand to see TCM thrive?" Tang Yi asked somewhat indignantly.
Lu Jiu shook his head, "It’s not that they can’t stand to see TCM thrive, or rather, whether TCM thrives or not doesn’t matter to them. They’ve just been in their comfort zone for too long and don’t want any changes in the environment. Even if they are annoyed by your actions, I believe they haven’t chosen to confront you, right?"
"Not everyone in this world likes to stir things up. Besides, simple reform in TCM can’t be sustained by itself. When I used to run a clinic, my fees were low because it was just me running it. As long as I was comfortable, nothing else mattered, but in a hospital, it’s different. TCM reform must be profitable."
"Simply reverting TCM to the old ways of feeling the pulse, prescribing, and dispensing medicine not only offers too little profit, but also limits the number of patients that can be treated. In today’s era, this is unsustainable. Yes, we’re TCM practitioners, but we’re also human. Therefore, necessary financial conditions are indispensable; TCM reform must be built on an efficient economic model without harming patient’s health."
"In other words, the future of TCM is about treating patients’ illnesses while also earning money. We mustn’t just earn a name while being dead broke!"
"The reason your TCM department couldn’t continue is that the mindset didn’t open up. Of course, the many constraints in a public hospital can be understood. So, there’s no need for you to be unwilling to accept it. This situation was never something a few individuals could change."
Tang Yi let out a sigh.
Indeed.
It’s hard to blame the hospital staff.
Although they might make sarcastic remarks behind your back, they weren’t openly hostile to the TCM department.
But when he first joined the TCM department, Tang Yi hoped to achieve something.
Now, not even a year later, it ends so abruptly he finds it hard to accept.
"Brother Lu, could I ask you a favor?" Tang Yi asked.
Lu Jiu smiled, "Go ahead."
Tang Yi said, "Could you bring Director Ji, Li Wei, and Mr. Yuan Sr. over to your hospital?"
At this, Lu Jiu burst out laughing, "Don’t worry, you’re just the first. In Jianghan, as long as someone understands TCM, I’m not going to let them slip away."
At Jianghan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, besides the TCM department, there are indeed quite a few who understand TCM.
Even though the hospital is heavily Westernized, the standards for entry still require a background in TCM-related fields.
Although these individuals may not be highly skilled, as long as they have some understanding of TCM, it’s preferable to being completely inexperienced. Bringing them over and having seasoned doctors at the hospital teach them for a few months and train them in pulse diagnosis will make them useful.
After all, many people come to see a doctor mainly for the dietary therapy and beauty care departments; they don’t have major health issues.
As long as there’s a doctor who can take a pulse and determine whether there’s an issue, it will save a lot of work for the doctors who can truly treat illnesses.
So, what Lu Jiu lacks now aren’t seasoned doctors who can see patients, but new doctors who can handle overflow for those veterans.
By recruiting people from Jianghan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, not only can they fill their hospital’s vacancies, but they can also reveal the salary situation at Lu Jiu TCM Hospital to Jianghan Hospital.
A frog in warm water doesn’t fear being boiled because there’s nothing to lure it away. When doctors at Jianghan Hospital are struggling with meager pay and suddenly learn that someone with similar qualifications in a neighboring hospital earns much more each month,
that sense of imbalance will drive them to make a decision.
At that point, the comfort zone will cease to exist.
Money will break everything!
Tang Yi was momentarily stunned by Lu Jiu’s words, "Brother Lu, are you trying to poach from the TCM hospital?"
Lu Jiu laughed, "Isn’t that already what I’m doing?"
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