Healing Doctor

Chapter 446 Taking Medical History

A middle-aged male patient, along with his family members and Zhai Yuhan, entered together. They were not the patients who had been waiting at the door.

"Please sit down." Director Yang leaned back in his chair, giving the patients and their families a professional smile.

Facing the camera, the patient was visibly restrained and nervous, even though Zhai Yuhan had spoken to him privately beforehand and had prepared him mentally.

"Dr. Zhao, please take the patient's medical history," Director Yang said.

Zhao Mengmeng immediately fell into a state of confusion again, like a little deer that had lost its way in the jungle, feeling nervous and flustered.

She hadn't asked about any medical history; all her knowledge came from books. She knew she wasn't up to the task from her very first day in clinical practice.

Adding the added pressure of the camera and her own embarrassing moment in last night's episode, Zhao Mengmeng became even more at a loss.

She was prepared, but when that feeling of tension came over her, her mind went blank.

After a few seconds of silence, Zhao Mengmeng remained silent, as did Director Yang, and Ji Xiang obediently kept his mouth shut, respecting Director Yang's arrangement.

"Um... how long have you been feeling unwell?" Zhao Mengmeng asked, stammering.

She was even more nervous than the patient, which startled the patient.

"I started experiencing abdominal pain two years ago, but it wasn't severe. A year ago..."

The patient was diagnosed with gallstones and was scheduled for surgery the next day. He had been asked these questions before, and he answered them quickly.

It seemed that the patient was more knowledgeable and professional than Zhao Mengmeng.

Zhao Mengmeng asked questions intermittently for three minutes, which were completely disorganized, causing Director Yang to frown.

"You didn't ask about the past history," Director Yang said.

"Oh, oh, oh," Zhao Mengmeng quickly replied. "Have you had any illnesses in the past?"

……

……

In the commentary room, the guests all wore amused smiles.

After several days of interaction and one episode of the show, the guests all knew that Zhao Mengmeng was a top student, but that was all they knew about her.

She may be good at theoretical knowledge, but she is completely unable to apply it in clinical practice.

After just one episode, even guests who weren't in the medical field became increasingly convinced of the old saying—the older a doctor is, the more valuable they become.

Clinical experience is the most valuable asset for doctors.

Even older surgeons who can't hold a scalpel properly are no exception.

"Zhao Mengmeng still lacks experience."

"It generally takes at least a year for a newly arrived doctor to be able to handle clinical work," Professor Shen explained. "As for how quickly, it depends on the individual's comprehension and how dedicated the doctor is."

"Professor Shen, being a doctor is really tough," one guest remarked. "Last season, I saw law firm interns doing a lot of basic work. But in hospitals, newly arrived doctors seem unable to do anything."

He felt pity for Zhao Mengmeng, who looked completely bewildered and was on the verge of tears.

"Medicine is very complex. To be honest, I consider myself to be only at an elementary school level," Professor Shen said sincerely. "As for Zhao Mengmeng, she still needs time to grow."

……

……

A few minutes later, Zhao Mengmeng ran out of words.

The methods described in the book and the methods used to inquire about a patient's medical history on-site are two different approaches and cannot be used together at all.

"Ji Xiang, come here." Director Yang didn't make things too difficult for Zhao Mengmeng and let Ji Xiang begin the consultation.

Ji Xiang did it in a very methodical way, asking questions while making notes on paper.

Three minutes later, Ji Xiang finished asking his questions and began his report.

Director Yang nodded repeatedly.

Clearly, Ji Xiang once again proved that his level had far exceeded that of an intern. He inquired about the patient's medical history and reported it with appropriate detail, displaying the demeanor of a seasoned veteran doctor.

"Ji Xiang's explanation is excellent. The patient's diagnosis is clear: gallstones. We're preparing for surgery tomorrow," Director Yang concluded. "The problem lies in whether our prior preparations were sufficient."

"For example, if the patient has a history of hyperthyroidism and is taking medication to control it before surgery, and is fasting and drinking before surgery, does the patient still need to take medication?"

If this wasn't mentioned, and the patient stopped taking medication for a few days, postoperative thyroid dysfunction could occur, leading to insomnia, irritability, fever, and other symptoms. This could be very problematic if the patient was unaware of a history of hyperthyroidism.

"At that time, the patient and their family will most likely not think of hyperthyroidism, and the doctor will not think of it either; they will only think of it as a postoperative infection."

Director Yang had clearly experienced similar cases before, and he spoke about them in great detail.

These are all clinical experiences, gained step by step.

Experience can be passed from one doctor to another, preventing more patients from becoming "experience" itself. This is the significance of senior doctors providing guidance.

Although Ji Xiang asked about his past, he listened very attentively, unlike Zhao Mengmeng who was confused.

"Okay, go back now." Director Yang stood up to see the patient out, comforting him as they walked. "It's just a minor surgery. You'll be able to get out of bed the day after the operation. Don't be nervous, or you'll cause endocrine disorders and make your recovery more difficult. Take your medicine on time. I told you not to eat or drink, but taking a small sip of water while taking your medicine doesn't count."

"Thank you, thank you," the patient said repeatedly.

The scene was filled with joy and harmony.

Director Yang escorted the patient with gallstones to the door, where two middle-aged male patients who had been waiting for nearly two hours approached with their X-ray films.

"director."

Director Yang hesitated for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Come in."

He turned to Director Fan and said, "Director Fan, this is a very difficult patient; it's not suitable."

"Director Yang, please continue with your work. We'll just record this, and whether it can be broadcast depends on your opinion. If you say no, we'll definitely cut it out."

Director Fan's words satisfied Director Yang. Medicine is very complex, involving many aspects, especially patient privacy and medical ethics when facing a patient who is incurable.

If you just post it online, even if you're right, you'll still get attacked by trolls.

Director Yang brought the patient back and said, "The patient knows the situation himself. He has late-stage liver cancer. He had surgery two years ago to remove the left lobe and caudate lobe of his liver. Now there is a tumor of about 10cm in the right lobe of his liver. Can someone ask him about his medical history?"

"Director Yang, shall I do it?" Ji Xiang asked.

"Okay," said Director Yang. "This is Dr. Ji Xiang. He will take the patient's medical history first."

Instead of asking questions directly, Ji Xiang reached out and took the film bag from the patient's hand, then walked to the viewer.

Arranged in chronological order, Ji Xiang first picked up the last film and glanced at it, then carefully reviewed each film one by one from morning to night in chronological order.

……

……

In the comment section, one of the guests expressed his confusion.

"Dr. Shen, aren't we asking about the patient's medical history?"

"The X-ray images are also part of the patient's medical history. Understanding the patient's course of illness first makes asking about the medical history much more effective," Professor Shen explained. "This is a very experienced approach, but there is one prerequisite."

"What are the prerequisites?"

"Doctors need to be able to read the images."

(End of this chapter)