A doctor-patient relationship should pay attention to a sense of boundaries
Writing |Wang Hang
Source | “Medical Community” Public Account
Recently, a woman reported Huang Moumou, deputy director of the Department of Neurology, Changzhou First People’s Hospital, through a video, saying that she used drug control methods to force the two to maintain an improper relationship, and revealed that Self-acceptance of bribes from medical representatives.
Subsequently, the local health and health commission replied that the hospital had responded through the local forum: the question was partially true after verification, and the relevant personnel were given party discipline sanctions according to regulations on September 6, 2021.
Up to now, the hospital has not disclosed the specific disciplinary facts of the doctor involved. Does the punishment decision of “Party Disciplinary Action” mean that the woman’s accusation was wrong? How should doctors grasp the sense of boundaries in getting along with patients? The “medical community” consulted Wang Yue, a professor of medical ethics and law at Peking University School of Medical Humanities.
“The content behind the incident is too little disclosed, and the hospital has not pointed out the specific content and basis of punishment, so we can’t judge what mistakes the parties have made and whether these mistakes are serious. It is impossible to judge whether the punishment of the hospital is correct.” Professor Wang Yue said.
According to the original video, the whistleblower claimed that Huang used her mental illness to force herself to maintain an improper relationship with him for a long time by means of deception and drug control.
At the same time, Huang repeatedly showed off in front of her the situation of accepting bribes from medical representatives and patients’ red envelopes. The woman claimed that Huang’s huge wealth was unknown, his medical ethics were corrupt, and his private life was chaotic, and promised to report it. The content is true.
According to the introduction on the official website of Changzhou First Hospital, Huang is the deputy chief physician and postgraduate tutor of the neurology department of the hospital. He has been engaged in clinical neurology for more than 20 years, and has been engaged in interventional therapy for cerebrovascular diseases for many years.
As of 12:00 on May 23, Huang’s relevant information and outpatient appointments have been withdrawn from the neurology expert introduction and outpatient visit form on the hospital’s official website.
“In the case where the specific facts and contents are unclear, it is impossible to make a detailed judgment on the doctor involved. If there is the use of drugs to control others and sexual behavior against others’ true wishes, This may constitute a crime of rape. In addition, as administrative personnel of medical institutions, such as department directors and deputy directors, if there is a huge amount of property of unknown source, it may also constitute a corresponding criminal crime, which should be transferred to the procuratorate and prosecuted. “< /p>
Professor Wang Yue believes: “If it is a private life disorder, this is a relatively vague concept, and its nature is different from obscenity and rape. The latter is an illegal or even criminal act, while the former It’s not illegal, it’s generally just a moral issue.”
He emphasized that as a doctor, we should always pay attention to the sense of boundaries with patients. “The information between doctors and patients is asymmetric. Doctors are in a dominant position. If they talk about feelings between them, it is unfair to patients.”
Professor Wang Yue said that some countries in the world have corresponding ethical guidelines to restrict the behavior of doctors and patients in love and marriage during their practice.
“For example, the Iowa State Board of Medicine fined an orthopedic surgeon $5,000 and ordered him to complete a professional boundaries program. The wife provided medical care and a relationship was established shortly thereafter.”
“Some countries will stipulate a window period, for example, after the medical period ends for a period of time, this is also to ensure that doctors and patients are in a relatively equal position. At present, our country’s ethical standards, including hospital rules and regulations There are no similar regulations at present, which is indeed a potential loophole.” Professor Wang Yue said.
Source: Medicine
Editor in charge: Zheng Huaju
Proofreading: Zang Hengjia