The Enhanced Doctor

Although he felt like the system had once again played a joke on him, life had to go on, right? No matter how minuscule, a fly was still meat. After all, it was something he got for free, so he wasn't going to be picky.

Currently, life in the Emergency Department was characterized by ordinary busyness. Besides trauma and alcohol poisoning, the number of patients suffering from heatstroke had also increased.

The past few days had been quite easy, though, with no emergency patients requiring surgery. Liu Banxia, apart from performing two minor incision appendectomy teaching surgeries and earning 10 Glory Points, was so idle he felt like he was practically growing fur.

When he first received the system, he had imagined that within a year, he could train himself into a top-tier expert and become a renowned doctor of his generation. But in reality? That was merely an illusion.

It was like some schools: easy to get into, but hard to graduate from. They didn't have strict requirements for your educational background, but if you wanted your graduation and degree certificates, you had to genuinely learn and master real knowledge.

This time, his break had dragged on for thirteen days. It was for no other reason than to go to Jinshui District Hospital to perform freelance surgeries and earn some extra money. It was probably because Shi Lei indulged him; otherwise, who would allow him to take time off whenever he pleased and arrange for someone else to cover his shifts?

However, after saving up his availability for so many days, he only had one surgery. This particular operation earned him a mere 1 Glory Point.

Appendicitis wasn't like other conditions; the number of patients with chronic appendicitis wasn't very high. Most cases were acute, and they couldn't expect Liu Banxia to rush over immediately.

"Chief Director Xu, I have a small idea I'd like to discuss with you." Liu Banxia poured Xu Chengjun a glass of wine.

"Why are you being so formal with me? I should have been the one to arrange this meal. You really didn't have to go to the expense," Xu Chengjun said.

"Here's the situation: I was wondering if you could help me get in touch with other hospitals? It's not just for small-incision appendectomies. I feel quite confident with general second and third-level surgeries now," Liu Banxia said.

"Then why not just perform them at our hospital?" Xu Chengjun replied.

"However, these types of surgeries usually take a lot of time, perhaps only one a day. The fees wouldn't be very high either, so you need to consider that carefully."

"Chief Director Xu, I understand all that. The amount you're already paying me is well above the standard rate," Liu Banxia quickly stated.

"Besides, Dr. Shi often comes here, and I can't compete with him for cases. That's why I was thinking of exploring other places, as long as they're within Binhai City and fall under my scope of practice."

Xu Chengjun glanced at him. "I was wondering why you came alone today. Well, regarding this matter, it depends. The disadvantage you face now is due to being the chief resident; your time isn't flexible, and many patients can't wait."

"I'll give it some thought. When an opportunity arises, I'll mention it to the chief directors of the county hospitals. But are you sure you're not afraid of the extra work? Some places might be farther out, and not all of them are accessible by high-speed rail."

"Ah... isn't it all for the money?" Liu Banxia said with a bitter smile.

"Basically, I plan to settle down in Binhai City for good, so I need to buy a house and make a home. I'm not even considering a car; the subway is great, at least it doesn't have traffic jams.

"But current housing prices… I honestly feel they're out of my reach. Last month, I performed so many surgeries, but the take-home pay was just so-so. Being tired is one thing, but at least I can earn a bit more this way."

"What about your Emergency Department? I heard the new building renovations are complete, right? They're now in the equipment testing and calibration phase. You'll surely be even busier then, won't you?" Xu Chengjun asked.

"I've considered that. The first three or four months probably won't be overwhelmingly busy. The Emergency Center will gradually increase the patient volume sent to us, so there will be some time to adjust."

"I estimate it will get really busy around the Spring Festival. By then, however, I don't think it will be overly exhausting. Each department will be staffed with four to five doctors, so we should be able to distribute the patient load more effectively."

"Aren't you also recruiting now? Relying solely on doctors from the Second Hospital definitely isn't enough to sustain operations. This new batch of recruits is quite large. The requirements have been relaxed, and the compensation has been increased, but the contracts are somewhat strict; they all contain breach of contract clauses."

Xu Chengjun nodded. "Chief Director Chen has great ambitions, and everyone has heard he's planning something big. You all have invested a lot of money this time, but with Director Zhou overseeing things, there shouldn't be any major hiccups."

"Let me give you a piece of advice. I suggest you wait until next year when you get your attending physician qualification, then consider taking on work at other hospitals. Why do I say this? Although your skills are excellent now, your professional title isn't high enough, which might inevitably lead to gossip."

"The day before yesterday, Old Qin came by our hospital for a visit. He's now the external liaison for Dazheng Group's after-sales department. From the way he was acting, it seems he's still keeping tabs on you."

"You can't be serious! Why is he so annoyingly persistent? Does he really expect me to go after Qi Wentao seriously, or what?" Liu Banxia said in frustration.

He really hadn't expected Qin Hai's pettiness; it seemed even worse than his own. If Xu Chengjun hadn't mentioned it today, he would have completely forgotten about Qin Hai by now.

Dazheng Group's medical devices and supplies had a strong market presence throughout the Binhai City administrative area. Almost every hospital used products supplied by them, the only difference being their respective market shares.

There was no way Qin Hai came to Jinshui District Hospital merely for after-sales service feedback. His ultimate goal was clearly about himself. He was probably trying to see if he could find some fault of mine to exploit and scheme against me again.

"Old Qin has a somewhat arrogant personality. Having suffered such a significant loss at your and Chief Director Chen's hands, it's no wonder he can't let it go," Xu Chengjun said with a smile.

"In Binhai City, the current requirement for multi-site practice is an intermediate professional title. You're a special case. Right now, even if Old Qin wants to cause trouble for you, your skill with small-incision surgery leaves him no angle to attack."

"Moreover, you're on my turf. Even if Old Qin wants to bite, he has to consider my feelings. Even I, an outsider, find some of his actions excessive."

"Chief Director Xu, I won't say any more polite words. My gratitude is in this wine. I'll drink it all; you can drink as you please." Liu Banxia finished his glass in one go.

Anyone who can become a Chief Director is certainly capable; they all have their own resources and influence. Even though Xu Chengjun was merely the Chief Director of a district hospital, he wasn't comparable to the retired Old Qin.

It was like the saying: 'Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix.' In the grand scheme of Binhai City's medical system, Xu Chengjun might be considered the 'tail of a phoenix,' but on his own turf in Jinshui District, he was very much the 'head of a chicken' and had significant say.

What he just said basically meant I could perform freelance surgeries confidently at the district hospital without worrying about Old Qin. This was his assurance to me, and also a significant favor.

"You don't have to be so courteous with me; we always help each other out," Xu Chengjun said, raising his glass as well.

"Even though you haven't been performing surgeries at our hospital for very long, your reputation is already established. You've also helped attract more patients to our hospital, which has been beneficial."

"And I'd say you've also stimulated us to some extent; our hospital's professional capabilities have also improved somewhat. Let me give you a heads-up: who knows when someone else will master your small-incision appendectomy technique."

"Haha, Chief Director Xu, I'm not actually worried about that. I can't just be doing appendectomies for my entire career, can I?" Liu Banxia joked.

"I'm somewhat overly specialized right now. In the field of general surgery, there are so many other procedures involved. I still have a long way to go; I can't let focusing on appendectomies hinder my development in the broader field of surgery."

"Haha, you young fellow. Shi Lei was praising you when he came over last time. He said that in another two or three years, you might well be the most outstanding among your peers from your training," Xu Chengjun said.

"Why are you always so modest? Even now, I'd be apprehensive about performing liver surgery; our district hospital performs fewer than two such surgeries a year. Speaking of which, I can keep an eye out for you. If there are suitable patients, could you handle them?"

Liu Banxia thought for a moment, then nodded. "Preferably non-cancer patients. I don't mean anything else by that; it's just that cancer patients involve complex prognoses and often require chemotherapy and other treatments."

"Exactly. That's why not many major surgeries like that are done in district hospitals. Actually, forget just that; even if you count all level-four surgeries, the number we perform each year is very small."

"One issue is the technical expertise, and another is the financial aspect. Many families aren't very well-off, and the cost of treating a single cancer case can be astronomical."

"If you want good treatment outcomes, you often have to use imported drugs, right? They're expensive, not to mention they're not covered by medical insurance. Some people eventually give up on treatment to avoid burdening their families financially."

"Anyway, let's leave it at that for now. If you're confident, I'll start keeping an eye out for suitable patients for you. We should be able to schedule at least two for you on your days off. However, regarding the fees, I can't offer you much more."

"My dear Chief Director Xu, you're already helping me immensely. Please rest assured. If I truly master a wide range of surgeries in the future, your hospital will always be my first choice for freelance work," Liu Banxia promised.

Chief Director Xu had truly done him a great service. Whether this favor was intended for Shi Lei or Zhou Shuwen didn't matter; the benefits, at least, had fallen squarely into his own lap.

And for Chief Director Xu to dare let him perform such a surgery in the district hospital also reflected his trust in him. Because if everything went smoothly, there'd be no issue, but if something went wrong, he, as the Chief Director, would also bear responsibility.

In the medical industry, no matter what you do, responsibility is always attached. Every decision, every arrangement, can be traced back to a specific person.

The two of them had exchanged their information and both had reaped satisfactory rewards.

Liu Banxia stood to gain; in the future, he could comfortably earn extra money here and hone his skills. Xu Chengjun wasn't losing out either. When someone is highly regarded by the Second Hospital, it's wise to invest in them early.

Liu Banxia's reluctance to compete with Shi Lei for surgeries alone showed his excellent character. Investing in Liu Banxia now meant that when he truly soared in the future, this hospital would be a legitimate place for him to practice.

Did people really think it's easy to invite experts for consultations or to take the lead in surgery? It's not just about the money; it's also about building relationships and goodwill. At that level, are they really concerned about such meager sums?