Surviving as a Rogue Hospital Director - Chapter 76

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 76.
“We bring Eun-seong’s doctor to Korea University Hospital. That way, he learns by watching directly. And Korea University Hospital solves its staffing shortage.”
Beom-jun pitched the idea to Ui-jang. He’d framed it nicely, but what he meant was using Eun-seong Hospital’s physician as a high-class laborer.
It happened that Eun-seong wanted education, so it was a method that satisfied both sides’ needs.
“Since it would be qualitatively superior to resident training, we might even charge Eun-seong for the education.”
If they sent him on dispatch, an Advanced General Hospital would be demoted to a General Hospital and lose tens of billions in revenue—but bringing a doctor worked the opposite way.
Normally, when med students did clinical rotations at a hospital, the medical school paid for the education. Residents received salaries, but they paid with their bodies through training.
But the student was a professor? Then they’d practically seen it all—why not charge tuition and get him working at the same time?
“Management is turning losses into profit. It’ll be far better than sending him on dispatch.”
Beom-jun grinned widely as he spoke.
“Eun-seong already has state-of-the-art medical equipment. The key is using it well. You can’t move an MRI or CT, can you? It makes sense for people to go to Korea University Hospital.”
Ui-jang presented well-prepared evidence.
“We need to teach him what’s needed in that setting. He might study all this and then find he can’t apply it when he goes back to Eun-seong.”
Hospital capital divides into two main categories: people and medical equipment.
Medical equipment, surprisingly, isn’t standardized. That’s why hospitals repeat tests when patients transfer—the attending physician needs to be comfortable reading that specific equipment to render a reliable diagnosis.
“I see. You said the equipment differs from Korea University Hospital’s?”
The Deputy Director, who’d been quiet, subtly sided with Ui-jang as he asked.
“They probably brought in equipment mainly used in America. It makes sense—they brought doctors from America. But our Korea University Hospital doctors should be able to use it. The reverse would be difficult, though.”
‘We could manage, sure, but asking our doctors to go is just as much of a burden.’
Beom-jun frowned, but Ui-jang continued.
“This is purely about helping Eun-seong in pursuit of public healthcare. We can’t tailor it to our preferences. Let’s send someone on dispatch from Korea University Hospital…”
Ui-jang invoked public healthcare again, unconvincingly.
‘He’s crippling a perfectly good person. What’s his game?’
Without considering the actual doctor who’d treat the patient, Ui-jang barked orders.
Beom-jun found him repulsive. Pure armchair theorizing. Not a trace of field perspective.
Beom-jun clicked his tongue mentally.
If worse came to worst, he had another option. He’d kept an item in reserve from early on—a card he’d received when he’d first caught Ui-jang’s attention after the possession, one that let him overturn Ui-jang’s decision exactly once.
But honestly, using it now felt wasteful. Something told him a decisive moment was coming.
“Eun-seong might actually want to come to Korea University Hospital.”
Beom-jun made one final proposal to Ui-jang. Mentally, he rapidly recalled the details of .
After the youngest daughter’s seizures began, Eun-seong’s family naturally went to Eun-seong Hospital first. But symptoms couldn’t be controlled, let alone the cause identified. After a month of seizures, they finally threw all pride aside and came to Korea University Hospital.
In the setting, this was the first instance of a top-four hospital accepting a patient horizontally from another.
Eun-seong had abandoned all pride and prestige—everything—for his daughter’s life alone.
“Nonsense! Eun-seong is strongly requesting dispatch. How would you know?”
At Beom-jun’s firm words, Ui-jang questioned him suspiciously.
‘Oh, I came on too strong.’
Beom-jun replied with feigned innocence.
“If I were Eun-seong, that’s what I’d want, wouldn’t you? A chance to tour Korea University Hospital—wouldn’t that be wonderful? There’s even the Jejungwon clock tower to see.”
Beom-jun spoke with a straight face, but Ui-jang narrowed his eyes and studied him.
“Either way, why not ask Eun-seong yourself? As you said, we can’t force our preferences.”
The Deputy Director, who’d been silent, added a remark.
“I think that’s the right call too. We don’t lose anything.”
Ui-jang let out a groan. With the Deputy Director joining in, it became two against one, and he didn’t push back stubbornly.
“Ugh. This isn’t how it should be done. Eun-seong’s demands were clear, or so I thought.”
“I’ll ask. Just tell me who the contact person is.”
“You keep stirring up trouble for no reason.”
“Yes, yes, I’ll just ask. No need to decide in a rush anyway.”
After some back-and-forth, Beom-jun received a business card.
— Kim Mu-hyung, Vice President of Planning and Strategy, Eun-seong Hospital
‘I think I’ve heard that name somewhere.’
Puzzled, Beom-jun slipped the card into his breast pocket.
* * *
After meeting with Han Myeong-jae, Beom-jun headed for the Operating Room. He had someone to meet there.
‘If I just barge in, it’ll look suspicious, won’t it?’
[Searching for Im Sung-hyuk’s location.]
[Location confirmed: Operating Room.]
Perfect timing—Im Sung-hyuk was in the Operating Room.
‘If anyone asks why the Hospital Director is there, I’ll use Sung-hyuk as an excuse.’
The person he wanted to meet was Cha Woo-jin, an Anesthesiology professor. A character who would make a big appearance in the next episode and then abruptly vanish.
He was a doctor from Eun-seong Hospital—he’d received tuition support from the Eun-seong Group and worked for ten years before relocating to Korea University Hospital.
It was recent. A month or two ago, by the timeline.
But when the youngest daughter came to Korea University Hospital, Eun-seong found him again, and Woo-jin took on the role of monitoring whether Sung-hyuk’s treatment was progressing well.
While butting heads constantly with Sung-hyuk, who handled things competently when trusted.
‘And later, he submitted his resignation and returned to Eun-seong.’
For Beom-jun, he was a person to watch carefully. He needed to get a sense of who this man was.
Beom-jun entered through the staff entrance beside the Operating Room.
“Oh my—the Hospital Director??”
“Ah, hello!!”
The doctors and nurses who recognized him started as if they’d seen a ghost.
The Hospital Director occasionally observed VIP surgeries in the open operating theaters, but such visits were rare.
“Don’t mind me. Keep working.”
The staffers who’d been fidgeting vanished in an instant. But then one of them extended his hand to Beom-jun.
“Hello, Director. I’m Cha Woo-jin, Professor of Anesthesiology. We briefly met at a conference—I hope you remember.”
Interesting—he didn’t have to search. Cha Woo-jin appeared immediately.
Beom-jun exchanged a handshake with him. Woo-jin placed his other hand over the back of Beom-jun’s, making it a two-handed grip.
Professor Cha Woo-jin had remarkably clear skin and a high forehead that gave a refreshing impression. Exactly the refined image typical of a corporate hospital.
[Talent detected.]
[Confirming talent information.]
Multiple status windows appeared and then vanished as he showed up.
[Name: Cha Woo-jin / Position: Professor of Anesthesiology]
Interview: □□□□□
Examination: ■■■■□
Diagnosis: ■■■■□
Treatment: ■■■■□
Follow-up: □□□□□
– Growth Potential: None
– Favorability: 3
[Sensitive to contracts; values trust highly. Mental fortitude is weak. Tends toward dependence.]
Beom-jun scanned the talent information that appeared.
True to his specialty in Anesthesiology, his competencies were concentrated in the necessary skills alone. He wouldn’t need to see patients directly or manage follow-ups, so it was perfectly fitting for an anesthesiologist.
‘Growth potential is zero?’
Beom-jun had discovered quite a few talents by now, but this was his first encounter with someone showing absolutely no growth potential. Was he a finished product?
“I know. Professor Cha Woo-jin. You came from Eun-seong, didn’t you?”
“That’s right. You knew.”
Beom-jun addressed Woo-jin cordially, and Woo-jin seemed quite surprised that the Director knew about him.
“You came to see Professor Im Sung-hyuk, I presume. He should be in Room 6. Would you like to stop by?”
He continued naturally, letting Beom-jun know where Sung-hyuk was.
“Hmm, no. Not really necessary. He’ll come out when he’s done.”
Running into Sung-hyuk would be its own problem. They didn’t have much to say to each other. That taciturn bastard wouldn’t be happy to see Beom-jun either.
“It’s a collaboration with Neurosurgery, so it’ll take quite a while.”
“Neurosurgery?”
When Beom-jun’s response seemed lukewarm, Woo-jin pushed harder.
“I believe it’s a multidisciplinary case with Professor Shin So-jeong. A collaborative patient.”
Woo-jin knew the operating schedule cold. As if he’d known Beom-jun would appear.
“Since you’re here anyway, wouldn’t you like to take a look inside the Operating Room?”
Woo-jin opened the door leading into the inner operating theater, and Beom-jun glanced through the open doorway.
Before entering the Operating Room proper, you passed through a changing room where lockers lined the narrow corridor wall-to-wall, and surgical gowns of various sizes hung neatly on shelves.
Beom-jun found himself slipping into nostalgia.
‘It’s been a while.’
Before possessing , he’d been in and out of here almost daily. When he’d performed surgery on the Rimu Sung patient, he’d been too rushed to look around properly, but seeing it now, the attention to detail was quite good.
As Beom-jun surveyed the interior of the operating theater, Woo-jin spoke up.
“I’ll give you the tour.”
“Hmm, why not?”
Beom-jun found him intriguing. It seemed like he had something he wanted to say.
Since possessing the reckless Hospital Director, Beom-jun had mostly encountered people who gradually distanced themselves from him. This man, actively appealing to him, he didn’t dislike.
Beom-jun followed Woo-jin, removing his white coat and changing into a green surgical gown.
The white coat, worn like a school uniform, had dirt stains on its hem and cuffs. Since possessing , there’d been no occasion to wear scrubs.
Beom-jun felt an odd flutter of anticipation. For a while, he’d forgotten—he’d been a surgeon wielding a scalpel for half his life.
The crisp linen surgical gown was warm. It seemed to have just come up from the central supply room.
“The doctors will work even harder just by having you observe, Director. I know I will.”
Woo-jin knew how to elevate Beom-jun without degrading himself excessively.
“They’ll do fine on their own. Puts them under pressure.”
“True, but with you watching, they might do even better.”
Hmm, definitely different from Sung-hyuk’s usual demeanor. The status window had said he was dependent-minded, hadn’t it?
When Beom-jun stared at him, Woo-jin quickly changed the subject.
“Oh, sorry. I spoke out of turn.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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