A DOCTOR at the Beijing University Shenzhen Hospital (BUSH) has been accused of taking bribes from a driver involved in a traffic accident to skip necessary tests on an injured woman, in an attempt to reduce the medical expenses the driver would have to pay in compensation, the Daily Sunshine reported Thursday (Apr 5).

The injured woman, Li Jianying, 70, was taken to the BUSH on Feb. 27 after she was knocked down by a vehicle. She suffered multiple fractures in the accident. Li was admitted to the orthopedic department for a thorough examination by an orthopedist surnamed Ye, the newspaper cited Li Jianying's husband as saying.

However, Li Jianying alleged that Ye told her the next morning, without carrying out any tests, that she had only suffered minor injuries and required her to leave the hospital.

"The driver Li Qing even threatened my daughter saying that Ye would help him kick me out of the hospital." Li Jianying said Ye had confirmed Li Qing's words to her daughter in front of other doctors in his office.

Li Jianying said she was suffering great pain in her chest and waist and refused to check out of the hospital. However, during her stay, Ye refused to give Li Jianying a thorough examination, saying that she had only suffered acute strain of her lumbar muscles and a fracture to the 12th vertebra.

A month later, Ye agreed to conduct a nuclear magnetic resonance on Li Jianying on the condition that her family paid for the examination if any old injuries were discovered. According to a hospital rule, injuries of three weeks or more are categorized as old injuries. Li said the traffic accident was more than three weeks ago, which meant that she couldn't get any compensation from the driver for the injuries she suffered from the accident. "This is apparently a trap set up by Li Qing and doctor Ye," said Li Jianying. But she failed to produce any evidence of the relationship between Li Qing and Ye.

As the pain became too much to endure, Li Jianying was transferred by her family to the Second Shenzhen People's Hospital for treatment. A checkup there found that Li Jianying had also suffered fractures to the third, fifth and sixth thoracic vertebra. A delay in timely treatment had made it extremely difficult to have the injuries treated, Li Jianying's husband said citing doctors at the Second Shenzhen People's Hospital.

The family submitted a report on doctor Ye's misconduct to the BUSH authorities and sought economic compensation from the hospital. But their demand was rejected, although Ye is currently being investigated by the hospital.

Li Jianying's family has taken the issue to the health bureau, which vowed to investigate into it.

Editor: Wing