Monday, everyone came in quite early.
The big meeting on Monday morning is an everlasting theme, assigning weekly tasks and announcing the new policies and regulations from above.
Lu Xuan managed to catch the wave by reporting on Monday; otherwise, it would have taken him about a week to get acquainted with everyone at the Health Center.
Although it's called a big meeting, it's actually just in a small meeting room where Hu Meiqiao, the dean, summarizes last week's work and assigns tasks for this week based on instructions from above and the situation from last week.
Meeting room.
Everyone was still chatting and laughing about the weekend's anecdotes when they saw Hu Meiqiao pushing the door with a young man following her. They instinctively focused their attention on the young man.
"Is everyone here? Perfect. Our Health Center family has a new member. Let me introduce him to everyone."
Hu Meiqiao sat down, glanced at everyone, and began the introduction: "This is our new doctor, Lu Xuan. Don't be fooled by Lu's youth; he's a master's graduate from Zhijiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and has previously spent some time working at the District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He's new to the Health Center, and not familiar with many things yet, so everyone, please help him out."
Worked at the District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, why come to a community Health Center?
Everyone was filled with curiosity, but no one would ask such a thankless question.
No matter the reason, Lu Xuan is now part of the Health Center.
We'll see each other often as colleagues, it's better not to delve too deeply into some matters.
The Health Center isn't as complicated as a big hospital; conflicts of interest are rare, so interactions are naturally much more harmonious.
"I heard last week that we were getting a newcomer, and who knew it would turn out to be such a handsome guy," a woman in her thirties teased.
Hu Meiqiao quickly introduced, "This is Cheng Gaowen, the head of our Child Health Department."
"Hello, Dr. Cheng." Lu Xuan promptly greeted her.
Cheng Gaowen laughed heartily, "Calling me Dr. Cheng is too formal. I'm a bit older than you, just call me Sister Cheng."
"Sister Cheng," Lu Xuan obliged smoothly.
"This is the head of our Gynecology Department..."
Next, Hu Meiqiao introduced the heads of various departments at the Health Center.
As a basic medical facility, the Health Center doesn't have many departments. Including the Child Health, Gynecology, and Physical Examination departments, there are only about seven or eight departments in total, which falls far short compared to big hospitals.
Some large hospitals have more sub-departments in just one internal medicine department than all the departments in the Health Center combined.
At the Health Center, a general practitioner typically deals with all issues.
After everyone got to know each other, Hu Meiqiao didn't waste time and began the weekly routine meeting.
During the meeting, everyone spoke about something.
Since Lu Xuan had just arrived and didn't know much about the Health Center's situation, he mostly sat in and listened, occasionally jotting down important points mentioned by Hu Meiqiao to avoid forgetting.
Hu Meiqiao noticed Lu Xuan taking notes but didn't say anything. However, she nodded inwardly in approval.
After the summary and task assignments were completed, Hu Meiqiao glanced at Lu Xuan and said, "There's one more thing concerning Lu. Let's have a show of hands to vote. If anyone has objections, bring them up now."
"Everyone here knows the situation of our Traditional Chinese Medicine Department at the Health Center, so I won't elaborate. Lu is our only Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor here. I'm planning to let him take charge of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department, as the head. Those in favor, please raise your hand."
Everyone was momentarily stunned, then promptly raised their hands.
Unanimously passed.
Seeing this, Lu Xuan was surprised.
He had thought that when Hu Meiqiao wanted him to be the head of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department, it wouldn't be very likely. Surely someone would oppose it, considering he was just a newly graduated newbie and didn't have the qualifications to become a department head.
Though the Health Center can't compare to bigger hospitals, it still has all of its departments in place. The heads of each department require both ability and experience, something a newcomer like him wouldn't normally be able to touch.
But to his surprise, Hu Meiqiao's proposal was unanimously approved.
Even Hu Meiqiao was slightly surprised. The last time they appointed department heads, everyone tried their utmost to compete for it, a fierce contest not an exaggeration.
There are only so many departments at the Health Center, and it's difficult for doctors to move out, so naturally, everyone wants to strive for the head positions.
This time, no one raised any objections.
"Alright, since there's no opposition, we'll decide this way,"
Hu Meiqiao decisively concluded.
Checking the time, Hu Meiqiao said again, "It's almost time for work. Everyone, please return to your posts. Lu, stay a moment."
After Cheng Gaowen and the others left, Hu Meiqiao said to Lu Xuan, "Lu, there aren't many people coming to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department at the Health Center, so I won't assign you an assistant. One person in the pharmacy should be able to handle it."
"That's more than enough, just someone to handle the herbs is fine," Lu Xuan hastily replied. Having just arrived and already being given a position, he didn't dare ask for more.
Moreover, what Hu Meiqiao said was true. Very few people visit the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department at the Health Center; it's hard to even see one patient a week, so having someone to handle the herbs is more than enough. Even Lu Xuan himself felt it would be a waste of manpower.
Considering that there might really be no patients for a whole week, Lu Xuan thought it over and made a decision: "Dean, perhaps you shouldn't assign anyone to handle the herbs; I can manage it on my own. I don't want my needs to hold back other workings of the Center."
"Are you sure you don't need any help?"
Hu Meiqiao asked again.
"I really don't need any help. I'm not going to be polite with you. As you've said, there aren't many people opting for Traditional Chinese Medicine, and even fewer coming to the Health Center for that. I'm seriously doubting if I'll have even one patient in a week," Lu Xuan said with a smile, though feeling a bit helpless inside.
A Western medicine graduate might get by by understanding how to read test reports and prescribe medicine, but Traditional Chinese Medicine is different. It requires a certain level of experience to diagnose and treat patients properly.
If you can't diagnose accurately, you dare not prescribe randomly.
Though Chinese medicine generally doesn't cause fatalities, if the prescription doesn't match the symptoms, or even exacerbates the condition, it becomes a big issue.
Despite being a master's graduate from Zhijiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lu Xuan knew that in terms of prescribing and treating, he wasn't much better than an ordinary person; perhaps he just understood more about Traditional Chinese Medicine than most.
This is where the advantages of being in a large hospital become apparent.
There you can assist renowned Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors, not only getting exposure to many patients but also gaining experience under their guidance. This is invaluable to a young Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor.
Hu Meiqiao nodded approvingly and smiled, "Alright, I won't assign anyone. Still, if you ever need any help, feel free to come to me."
"Alright."
"Let's go. I'll take you to see the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department."
"Okay."
Led by Hu Meiqiao, they took the elevator to the second floor.
On the second floor, there are three departments: the Physical Examination, Laboratory Department, and the innermost is the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department.
The Physical Examination Department primarily deals with retired elders from the neighborhood. Not many from the general public come here for check-ups.
As for the Laboratory Department, it handles basic tests like blood and urine tests. It lacks the equipment for major tests like ultrasounds and CT scans, which indicates the level at which the Health Center is positioned.
"This is the consultation room for the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department; next to it is the pharmacy. There's a small door from the consultation room that leads directly into it," Hu Meiqiao introduced, pointing to a small door on the right side of the consultation room.
Lu Xuan nodded.
"I won't say more. If you encounter any difficulties, you may come directly to me."
"Alright, thanks for your concern, Dean," Lu Xuan quickly expressed his gratitude.
Hu Meiqiao smiled and considered for a moment, "By the way, Lu, do you want to start your consultations today or wait until tomorrow?"
"Today, I suppose. Since I'm already here," Lu Xuan responded straight away.
"Alright, I'll inform the registration desk staff."
Without lingering much longer in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department, Hu Meiqiao left after giving a few instructions.
Looking at the small ten-square-meter consultation room, Lu Xuan didn't stay idle. After setting his backpack down, he started tidying the room.
Half an hour later, looking at the somewhat transformed consultation room, Lu Xuan smiled. Starting today, this would be his consultation space.
It may not compare to the Chinese medicine department over at the other place, but stepping right into the role of head of the Traditional Chinese Medicine department on his first day, Lu Xuan had no complaints.
However, he knew that his good fortune played a part. The Traditional Chinese Medicine Department at the Health Center was pretty much inactive, so with him being the only Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor, who else would be the head?
It couldn't be someone who didn't understand Traditional Chinese Medicine, right?
With a wry smile, Lu Xuan brushed aside the worries in his mind and retrieved an ornament from his bag, placing it on the consultation desk.
This was a medicinal herb specimen ornament his mentor gave him at graduation. It contained a dozen or so common herbs, not a precious gift but one Lu Xuan cherished greatly.
After placing the ornament, Lu Xuan poured himself a glass of plain water and sat in the room, waiting for patients to arrive.