Today, let's talk about a seemingly "trivial", but widely discussed topic - the hospital charges infusion seat fees.
Recently, a netizen in Ningxia posted a fee voucher for Ningxia Children's Hospital on the Internet, one of which is called "intravenous infusion (seat group)", with an amount of 5 yuan. This small fee item has caused a lot of turmoil on the Internet.
To be honest, when I first saw the news, I was also confused. Do you have to charge a separate seat fee for infusion in the hospital? What is this operation? I've lived for so many years, and I've never heard of this kind of charge. I don't know if you have encountered a similar situation?
With questions, the reporter contacted Ningxia Children's Hospital. The hospital staff explained that the 5 yuan actually included two parts of the cost: one is 10 yuan for infusion (5 yuan/time, a total of two times), and the other is 5 yuan for the seat (2.5 yuan/day, a total of two days). It sounds like it makes a little sense, but something always feels wrong.
What is even more surprising is that the staff of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Medical Security Bureau actually said that this kind of charge is in line with relevant policies. It is said that the hospital can charge the infusion fee according to the guide price of 5 yuan/time, and if only the seat is provided, the fee will be halved to 2.5 yuan/time. In this way, the seat fee charged by Ningxia Children's Hospital is really "fine".
Is this explanation really convincing?
The infusion fee and the seat fee are inherently one, so why should they be charged separately? Can the patient still choose to stand up for the infusion?
Is this type of charging common? As far as I know, whether it is a small hospital in a rural hometown or a tertiary hospital in a big city, it seems that there has never been a situation where the seat fee is charged separately. Could it be that this is just a "specialty" of individual regions?
If you really have to charge this fee, should you provide better service? For example, are the seats comfortable enough? Is the infusion environment clean and tidy? After all, when you spend money, you have to have a bit of a "sense of dignity", right?
There are also a few netizens who said that their places have similar charges, and they are even more expensive than this. Some people also believe that since there is policy support and the price is clearly marked, there is nothing to worry about.
We have to ask: should health care be more humane? Is it appropriate to charge an additional fee when the patient is already suffering from the disease and the high cost of medical care?
What's more noteworthy is that some netizens reported that this hospital also charges for printing medical records, and does not provide invoices, and directly scans the WeChat QR code when charging. This practice not only lacks transparency, but also calls into question its legitimacy.
Looking back at the whole incident, it is not difficult to find that this controversy over "seat fees" reflects a deeper problem
1. Is the medical fee set reasonable? Has the patient's affordability been fully considered?
2. Should the pricing of medical services be more transparent and humane?
3. In the pursuit of efficiency, does the hospital neglect its own social responsibility?
4. Do the relevant authorities fully consider the interests of patients and the feelings of the public when formulating policies?
For ordinary people, seeing a doctor is inherently a headache. The high cost of medical care has already overwhelmed many families, and if such and such "miscellaneous expenses" are added, it will undoubtedly increase the burden on patients.
As a public hospital, is this approach appropriate for Ningxia Children's Hospital? As a regulator, should the Health Insurance Bureau revisit this policy? These questions are worth pondering.
Medical services are related to people's livelihood and everyone's vital interests. What we want to see is a fairer, more reasonable, and more humane medical service, rather than making patients worry about a chair when they see a doctor.
Dear readers, what do you think of this "seat fee"? Feel free to leave a message in the comment area and let's discuss this topic together. Perhaps, through our voices, we can push the relevant authorities to reconsider this policy and create a better environment for patients to seek medical care.
After all, a truly people-centred society should allow everyone to have access to fair and reasonable medical care, rather than worrying about some seemingly "reasonable" but puzzling charges in addition to illness.