Is it true that "one bad apple spoils the barrel"?

The bribery scandal at K Hospital: Is it “one bad apple spoiling the barrel”?

Is the case of doctors and nurses at K Hospital being accused of receiving bribes from patients just a “bad apple spoiling the barrel”, or is this a “tumor” that the health sector needs to look straight at and take drastic measures to remove?

Patients take samples for testing at K Hospital.

Domino Effect

Public opinion is in an uproar over the incident where people "accused" the attitude and awareness of medical staff at K Hospital.

Specifically, in mid-August 2024, TikTok account Dau Thanh Tam posted clips reflecting many problems at K Hospital, including content accusing patients of having to "grease" 200,000 VND per radiation treatment session.

Immediately, K Hospital spoke up, saying that Ms. Tam's behavior was insulting and defaming the honor of the hospital's medical staff and added that the hospital had invited the police to investigate and clarify.

After the statement of K Hospital, on August 22, many clips continued to appear on social networks denouncing the fact that patients had to pay money for radiation therapy at this hospital, otherwise, they would be made difficult.

In a clip, a woman named D.TH (in Mai Son, Son La ) wearing a hospital gown with the name of K Hospital printed on it said: "I clipped money into a piece of paper and gave it to the doctor, and a moment later, the doctor called me to go see a doctor." She said that the amount of money she clipped into the paper to give to the medical staff was 500,000 VND, and then she received back only the piece of paper.

In another clip, account owner TL (in Pho Yen, Thai Nguyen) told about how he took care of his father for quite a long time at Tan Trieu K Hospital.

According to Mr. TL, the hospital's appointment for his father was at 6:00 a.m. The family had prepared all the documents and arrived at 5:30 a.m., but when they were called in, the technician made things difficult for them. He went outside to ask and was told that people who come in for radiation therapy here have to pay 100,000 - 200,000 VND to be allowed to do it.

The above situation, if it exists, is unacceptable, because cancer patients are considered to be in dire straits when faced with a serious illness.

According to published data, every day, at K Hospital, there are about 2,000 cancer patients in need of radiotherapy. Because the hospital does not have enough machines, only about 1,000 people receive radiotherapy. If this number is multiplied by the amount of "grease money" to receive radiotherapy that people complain about, it will be a large number.

The “grease money” can be in the range of tens or hundreds of thousands of dong, but there are also people who claim that they have to spend more, such as 500,000 dong to 1 million dong, or several million dong. Some even say that in order for their family members to receive treatment or surgery early, they have to spend up to tens of millions of dong.

This is not the first time that medical staff at K Hospital have been accused of accepting envelopes from patients and their families. In 2016, public opinion also discussed a similar incident. The story of “greasing” envelopes is not new, it has always existed in the medical industry and now, many patients have spoken out in anger.

Strong hand in handling "boils"

After the accusations were made simultaneously, at the meeting with the Ministry of Health on August 23, instead of completely denying as in the press release sent out earlier, Prof. Dr. Le Van Quang, Director of K Hospital, said that if the Hospital receives any feedback from patients about the inappropriate attitude of medical staff, it will suspend the work of that staff for 1 to 2 weeks to verify and clarify. In case of detecting negative medical staff, disciplinary action will be taken.

Regarding the story of envelopes in the medical industry, many opinions expressed that it is necessary to distinguish between receiving envelopes before and after treatment. Patients are in such pain, but doctors receiving money before treatment is a problem. However, after curing the patient, they give the doctor an envelope to thank him is another matter.

Is it acceptable to give an envelope after treatment as an act of gratitude from the patient to the doctors and nurses, for the hard work of the medical team who worked hard, day and night, to save the patient?

According to many caring doctors, if the patient is truly grateful to the doctor, they will find a gift with appropriate spiritual value. Receiving small but valuable gifts that show gratitude and respect from the patient is extremely valuable to every person working in the medical field. But above all, it must be a gift that comes from the patient's heart, not from suggestion, demand or coercion.

The incident at K Hospital is being reviewed and clarified by the authorities, but the “envelopes” in the medical industry are still a long story. Should we understand that it is a legitimate act of gratitude from patients to doctors, or is it the psychology of patients wanting to use money to “buy” the assurance, enthusiasm, and responsibility of doctors and nurses? That is a difficult question that only doctors, nurses, and medical staff with their own practical work can answer most accurately.

I think the story of "greasing" at K Hospital that is heating up public opinion is just an outward manifestation of an inappropriate management mechanism, when people do not have other options at a public health facility.

Some opinions raise the question, is it necessary to transfer all cancer patients to K Hospital, or can they be divided by specialty to treat them in accordance with the strengths of other medical facilities across the country?

In addition, the Ministry of Health also needs to seriously work with the K Hospital on the management mechanism to close the loopholes that force patients to pay bribes. It is necessary to clarify whether this facility has enough machinery, equipment and medicine to serve patients; if not, priority should be given to resolving difficulties in bidding for the Hospital, because the plight of cancer patients is truly heartbreaking.

According to Prof. Dr. Le Quang Cuong, former Deputy Minister of Health, Permanent Vice Chairman of the National Medical Council, through the case of K Hospital, the health sector needs to have an overview, evaluate, and comprehensively review the division of medical examination and treatment, improve the quality of lower-level health care so that people no longer have to rush to higher-level care, causing overload and pressure as is currently the case.

In particular, the key to reducing the number of patients in general and cancer patients in particular is to do a good job of prevention. “In any circumstance, prevention in the health system must be given special attention, because prevention is always more effective and less costly than treatment. One dong for prevention will save 100 dong for treatment,” emphasized Prof. Dr. Le Quang Cuong.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/vu-lum-xum-tien-boi-tron-tai-benh-vien-k-co-phai-con-sau-lam-rau-noi-canh-d223440.html