Blogs from Hebei, China, Asia - page 4

My host family took me on a ski trip with them on Friday after Dr. Meng and I stayed overnight at the hospital for call Thursday night. It was a 45 minute drive from the city to the neighboring mountain that housed the 'Way of the Ancient Emperor' ski resort. Resort may be pushing it - Qinhuang Gudao (Path of the Ancient Emperor) this was 3 sloped ranging from beginner to less beginner and a cafeteria. With the warm sunny weather, it was a perfect day to ski with the family. To start, only the 2 beginner slopes were open with either the type lift or the treadmill type lift, which had a ditch being built around it when we first arrived and only opened later. The amount of klutz on these slopes was entertainment enough ... read more

Just like in the US, attendings that take care of in-patient units here have overnight call duties. Dr. Meng is on her first one this week tonight, so we're here until morning report tomorrow morning. Looks like many of the patients' families are camping out in the hallways to keep their inpatient loved ones company. Interestingly, this hospital requires at least one family member to be present with each patient at all times. It works for communication, accountability, and moral support. Leads to many cots and sleeping pads in the hallways!... read more

1st room: 3 patients Middle-aged lady with asthma now with pneumonia Elderly lady with pulmonary fibrosis now with worsening cough; Doing labs and tests to r/o PE; Chest CT (-) though spiral CT not available Middle-aged man with COPD now with pneumonia left AMA without discharge; Bed now available for patient transferring from ED with heart failure now with pneumonia 2nd room: 5 patients Elderly lady with TB now with resolving pneumonia, cachectic, ready for discharge today Young man with unusual pneumonia not resolving after antibiotic treatment, transferred from an OSH, with prior CD4 low found out today Middle-aged female with resolving pneumonia Elderly male with COPD now with SOB and elevated CRP, PMN, CPT (we'll get to why CPT is used in another post) Middle-aged male with COPD, emphysema now requiring facial mask ve... read more

Even in a hospital with over 2800 beds with some in side-by-side formations that would give a talented Tetris player pause, there are never enough beds for the number of patients needing them. Today on our pulmonary/ critical care unit, there have been several patients waiting all day for a bed as the constant jockeying of admissions and discharges changes bed availability by the hour. A quick run-down of how this happened today: This morning: -2 patients requested admission by visiting our Attending, Dr. Meng in her office. Both are family members of clinical staff at the hospital. Regardless, they have serious enough conditions to warrant admission to the floor unit. -2 patients discharged from floor unit. -1 patient transferred to ICU. -2 patients needing direct admission from clinic, both admitted once 2 current floor patients ... read more

Not that having 3 cell phones to manage for calls concerning patient is physician's dream, it is marginally better than managing 3 pagers. When Dr. Meng took over call duty as Chief for the entire 3rd floor of the main hospital building today, she quickly accrued extra patients and cell phones to manage them. One phone is personal(ish) as far as some residents and staff have that number to call or text her directly when needed. The second phone is her regular work phone to use for the respiratory unit on a daily basis. The third phone is for the Chief of the floor at the time, which was her turn this afternoon. Similar to an Attending taking over call or a resident taking over other services on weekends, Dr. Meng became the Attending for all ... read more