Chapter 228 - Zhang Fans first outpatient service (1/2)

People would often think of the proctology department as a place to only treat hemorrhoids. This wasn’t actually the case. The proctology department was focused on treating all diseases related to the last part of the digestive system. In proctology, there were still many diseases which had causes that weren’t fully understood yet. Since the causes were still unknown, prevention would be highly difficult.

To give an example using hemorrhoids which many people were familiar with, there were currently two main prevailing theories for the formation of hemorrhoids. To explain the first theory simply, the blood vessels in the hemorrhoids would become obstructed from things such as sitting down for too long, constipation, gestation, an enlarged prostate, a large pelvic tumor, and so on. These all might cause the veins in the rectum to become obstructed.

There were plenty who didn’t support this theory, but they were also unable to provide evidence against it. Meanwhile, another prevailing theory from western medicine, explained in a simplified manner, was that it was related to anal contractions during bowel movements, and various other reasons.

Since the exact cause of hemorrhoids was unknown, it would be quite difficult to prevent them entirely. As doctors would put it, a large number of poor habits and lifestyle choices could all potentially cause hemorrhoids.

Without discussing other matters about the proctology director, his medical skills were actually quite good. He had developed numerous proctology surgeries for the department. Amongst local hospitals in the area, Chasu City Hospital’s proctology department was actually above average in skill level because of him. However, due to the problem of him taking more money for his marriage, he caused his proctology department doctors to lack any motivation.

Since the director wasn’t here, only Zhang Fan himself could go and perform outpatient services. This was actually his very first time performing outpatient services, and it would be as a proctologist. He brought a water bottle and a nurse with him to the hospital’s outpatient clinic.

In proctology, the number of young patients was roughly equal to the number of old patients, and since proctology would require inspection of a rather private area, it was more convenient for Zhang Fan to bring along a female nurse to help him with the female patients.

The head nurse of the outpatient clinic smiled and greeted Zhang Fan. “Doctor Zhang, you’re here to perform outpatient services?”

“Yes, head nurse.”

“I’ll prepare a sign with your name on it then.”

“Alright, thank you, head nurse,” Zhang Fan answered politely.

When he turned the corner, he ran into Xue Fei from orthopedic department #1. In the orthopedic departments, Xue Fei had the best relationship with Zhang Fan. He was also the type who really valued friendship. Back when Zhang Fan was treating the injured military patient Qin Nuo, Xue Fei had risked incurring Superintendent Ouyang’s wrath by specially reminding Zhang Fan about the risks involved with performing surgery on someone with a special status like Qin Nuo. Zhang Fan was quite grateful to Xue Fei for this.

However, Xue Fei was the type who was unreliable with his work. His medical skills were only average despite being an attending physician. He was far less skilled than fellow attending physician Zhou Chengfu. Back before Zhang Fan monopolized all of the surgeries in the surrounding area, Zhou Chengfu would also occasionally take surgeries at other hospitals. Meanwhile, Xue Fei spent all of his free time playing mahjong instead.

“What, Director Zhang is formally starting work today?” Xue Fei commented. Everyone in the surgical departments knew about how Zhang Fan was becoming the acting director of the proctology department for one month. Since all surgical departments were in the same large building, news would spread very quickly.

“Yeah. I’m performing outpatient services today. What, are you also on outpatient service duty today?” Zhang Fan couldn’t be bothered with being serious about Xue Fei’s joke that he was the director. The more serious someone was with him, the more he would joke around. Rather, he would stop joking around if Zhang Fan just admitted that he was the “director”.

“I call you fat and you start panting? Isn’t it just looking at anuses all day? Why are you acting so proud?” Xue Fei gave Zhang Fan a thumbs down while looking down on him.

“Heh, don’t you look down on this. I’ll wait for the day that you get hemorrhoids due to playing too much mahjong. I’ll definitely give you a thumb examination when you do.”

“Ptui! Ptui! Ptui! You jinxer, you’re the one who will get hemorrhoids! Okay, I’ll be serious now. Are you coming to the orthopedic department in the future or not? I’m still counting on you covering for me. You won’t really be interested in the position of proctology director, will you?”

Xue Fei was now having a hard time in orthopedic department #1. Due to the new addition of orthopedic department #3, all three orthopedic departments were doing their very best to perform as many surgeries as they possibly could. However, Xue Fei’s medical abilities were only average, and he was unable to perform many of the more difficult surgeries. Orthopedic department #1’s Director Gao Shijun was quite dissatisfied with him because of this.

“Bro, you’ll have to do the best you can by yourself. I’m performing outpatient services now.” Zhang Fan went to the outpatient service section for proctology.

Xue Fei’s thinking that Zhang Fan couldn’t possibly become a director right now was what most doctors shared. Although Zhang Fan was indeed highly skilled, it seemed inconceivable that he would be made an actual department director with his young age.

The nurse that Zhang Fan brought with him was named Chen Xiaoli. She was a young woman who had a two-year-old child. She was one of the most skilled nurses amongst the proctology department’s nurses, which was why the proctology head nurse had intentionally assigned her to come along with Zhang Fan on his first day of performing outpatient services.