Chinese doctor under investigation after asking patient for more money during operation
Woman asked to scan QR code to cover cost of second procedure, which was later found to have been unnecessary
A surgeon in northeastern China accused of asking a patient to pay for an add-on procedure while she was undergoing an operation is being investigated by the health authorities, according to a local media report.
The 20-year-old patient, identified only as Jiang Meng, was diagnosed with cervical erosion by a doctor at a hospital in Dalian, a port city in Liaoning province, New Culture Daily reported on Friday.
The doctor, surnamed Wang, said Jiang needed to undergo surgery immediately, and she consented.
However, as the surgeon was carrying out the procedure – the report did not make clear if this was Wang or another doctor – Jiang was told that she had another medical problem that also needed urgent attention.
The surgeon then presented her with a card printed with a QR code and said the additional procedure would cost 1,860 yuan (US$286).
Jiang used her WeChat Pay account to pay some of the fee – she had only 600 yuan left in her account – and made up the difference later, the report said.