Chapter 12 — On my first day as Director, I was kicked out of the cafeteria by the resident doctor

“What complaint?”

"Received two weeks ago. Denouncing the new Director of Hai Thanh Hospital 1 for taking advantage of her position to oppress her husband's subordinates, abusing her power, and taking public revenge for private reasons."

“Who is the accuser?”

"Anonymous, cannot be found. But the details in the letter are very specific, including the incident in the cafeteria, the professional examination, the suspension of surgical rights. The timeline matches perfectly with what happened after she took office."

I looked at him.

“So this inspection is not just a periodic plan.”

Tran Trieu Hanh did not deny it.

"The regular plan was indeed there, but that denunciation has sped up the process. The province felt it was necessary to go down to see the matter in person."

“Do you believe the content of that letter?”

He leaned back in his chair.

"Tieu Co, it doesn't matter whether I believe it or not. What matters is what I see."

“What do you see?”

"I saw a Director who had just been in office for three days and started checking personnel issues. The pace was a bit fast, but the direction was not wrong. I saw a department with a clearly flawed talent attraction process, and the person responsible was her husband. I saw a resident doctor who failed the check-up and was put on the operating table again."

"These things overlap, you said it's reasonable to announce private revenge, and you said it's reasonable to manage the hospital according to the law."

“Where is the difference?”

"The difference lies in what your next step will be. If you only focus on the Department of Bones and Joints alone, only targeting To Nha Lam alone, then people say you will pay more and more attention to private revenge. But if you promote the talent review process to the entire hospital, tighten the management of surgical scheduling, then that is building regulations, no one will say a word."

I nodded.

"I got it."

Tran Trieu Hanh stood up.

"The inspection report will be available in about a week. The disciplinary results of Phuong Tri Vien will be officially notified to you at that time."

He walked to the door and stopped.

“Tieu Co, there's something I shouldn't say, but I still have to mention it.”

“You say it.”

"The matter between you and Phuong Tri Vien, private matters become private affairs, public affairs become public affairs. Absolutely do not let personal matters affect your judgment. You have worked at the Provincial Health Committee for 6 years, everyone knows your abilities. Don't let yourself fall here."

He's gone. I sat in the office, looking at the photocopy of the anonymous application he just mentioned on the table. I don't recognize the handwriting on the letter. But there was one detail in the letter that caught my attention.

"Co Thanh Ninh said to To Nha Lam in the cafeteria 'when did the school cafeteria start paying tables'."

“School cafeteria.”

The original sentence I said at that time was "When did the hospital cafeteria start covering all tables?" The letter writer wrote “hospital cafeteria” as “school cafeteria.” This was not the mistake of someone present at the scene. This is a letter written by someone who heard someone else tell it. But the person telling it is not necessarily To Nha Lam. Chapter 17 The third day after the inspection team left, Phuong Tri Vien received an official disciplinary notice. Administrative warning. Relieved of the position of Deputy Head of the Department of Bones and Joints, retaining the technical title of Senior Deputy Doctor, temporarily converted to a regular outpatient doctor. That afternoon When the news broke, the whole hospital was boiling. Phuong Tri Vien has worked at this hospital for 15 years, rising from a resident doctor to the position of Deputy Dean, a professional leader recognized by everyone. When he was dismissed, reactions were divided into two extremes. Half felt it was worth it, the other half felt regretful. But whether they think it's worth it or a pity, they all have the same thought. This matter cannot escape the relationship with the Director being his wife. At three o'clock in the afternoon, my room door was pushed open. Don't knock on the door. The person who entered was Dean Ton. Ton Thu Chinh of the Department of General Surgery. He was the one who said the phrase "a new official takes office with dignity, after lighting three fires, he is obedient again" during afternoon tea the other day.

“Director Co, I'll say two words and then leave.”

“You say it.”

"In the matter of Phuong Tri Vien, I accept the discipline, the province decides, I have no opinion. But how do you plan to arrange the work of the Department of Bones and Joints? With Phuong Tri Vien gone, half of the surgeries in that department are left empty."

“Deputy Director Tham will take charge.”

"Tham Ba Quan's level is two levels lower than Phuong Tri Vien, she knows it in her heart. If the Department of Bone and Joint Diseases has a medical quality problem, who is this debt to?"

"Calculate it for me. The director takes full responsibility."

He took a look at me.

“Can you handle it?”

"If you can't bear it, you have to bear it. You can't just because you're afraid of something happening, you can't manage things that violate regulations."

He was silent for a few seconds.

"Okay. Then I'll say one more thing. Although Phuong Tri Vien has problems, over the years the scientific research funding he's brought to the department, the surgical team he's trained, and the reputation he has in the hearts of patients are all real things. If you dismiss him, the people below will feel sad."

"It's frustrating because they don't know what Phuong Tri Vien did."

"Once they know, they will feel sad. Because they will think, if even Director Phuong was stripped of his position overnight, then what would happen to them?"

He turned and went out. The sound of the door closing was a bit loud. Han Man poked his head in from the next room.

“Director Co, do you need me…”

"No need. Just let him finish talking."

"And this matter. To Nha Lam went to work today."

“What step has her personnel procedure reached?”

"The Human Resources Department is redoing the admission assessment process. If according to the official standards, her education does not meet the standards, she will be returned."

“What does return mean?”

“Termination of labor contract.”

“If you follow the correct process, you will see results within a month.”

"Just follow the normal process. Don't rush it, don't prolong it."

Han Man nodded. That night, I finally went home. Phuong Tri Vien sat on the living room sofa, the cup of tea in front of him was cold. Seeing me enter the door, he didn't get up.

“I'm back.”

“Have you eaten lunch yet?”

Silence for a very long moment.

“Thanh Ninh, I want to talk about us.”

"I know what you're angry about. The necklace thing, the To Nha Lam thing, the talent attraction approval thing. I was wrong about those things."

I looked at him.

"But I hope you make a clear distinction between work and work, and housework and housework. I've been dismissed, I accept this punishment. But you can't use work to purge everyone one by one." around you?”

“People around you? You mean To Nha Lam?”

“Not just her. Chau Bach Lam, Truong Vu Ham, they are all people who can really do the job, you overturned the entire attraction appraisal file, their bread and butter are gone."

"I didn't throw away their rice bowl, but it was a mine that you buried when you didn't follow the rules."

“I admit it. But can you give them a chance, so that they can follow the official process of taking the exam again?

“This is not for me to decide, but for the regulations to decide. If you meet the conditions then stay, if not then leave."

He jumped up.

“Co Thanh Ninh, are you managing the hospital or are you treating me?”

His scream was very loud. I stood still in the entrance hallway without moving.

“Phuong Tri Vien, I never thought about treating you.”

“But every thing you do, makes me feel like you're cutting a knife into me.”

“So have you ever thought that the things you do are also cutting knives into this hospital?”

He was stunned.

“When I first arrived, you weren't sure what this hospital was like? The cafeteria has separate seats, resident doctors who fail exams still end up on the operating table, attracting talented people is just a vanity, the Dean of the department is single-handedly blocking the sky. These problems were not brought about by me, but by you people who turned a blind eye and tolerated them."

“You see I'm treating you, but have you thought about it, if the person who comes to become Director is not me, but someone else, what will you have to face?”

"If someone else comes, they won't be as heartless and meaningless as you."

"Right. Someone else will bring you straight to the Disciplinary Committee for inspection. Do you think this is better?”

His mouth opened, then closed again.

“Let's talk about our marriage later. You should think through your own situation first.”

I walked into the bedroom and closed the door. There was no sound in the living room for a long time. About half an hour later, I heard the door close. He was out.