The Physician of Traditional Medicine Returns from Murim - Chapter 171

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 171

 

“Please have a cup of tea while we talk.”

 

“Yes, thank you.”

 

Hwang Jihun bowed his head as he received the paper cup with both hands.

 

“Keep it short.”

 

“I’ll definitely finish within 10 minutes. If I keep it too short, you’ll just reject it right away.”

 

“….”

 

“There’s been some trouble at the Changwon Branch. Manager Lee Suhyeong and Manager Jeong Yeongil, the two Korean Medicine Doctors who brought in the most revenue at the Changwon Branch, quit.”

 

“So? Aren’t there people lining up who want to work anyway?”

 

While recruiting Korean Medicine Doctors in rural areas isn’t exactly easy, Hwangje Korean Medicine Hospital is somewhat of an exception.

 

They can’t even accommodate all the Korean Medicine Doctors who completed their internship and residency there and hope to be hired as managers.

 

“It wasn’t just those two who left. They took all the core personnel – the Nursing Director, Administrative Manager, Administrative Section Chief, and others – and opened a new Oriental Medicine Hospital nearby. Thanks to that, all sorts of problems are arising.”

 

“Ah.”

 

“What kind of problems?”

 

“Everything is a problem. The new Korean Medicine Doctors’ performance isn’t like the previous ones, so the Hospital Director pressured them severely, causing them to quit. Insurance claims aren’t being processed properly at the administrative office, and sales have been completely destroyed.”

 

Even without naming it a sales department, it seemed the administrative or general affairs departments were handling sales-like duties.

 

They would establish partnerships with general hospitals to receive post-surgery complication patients as transfers, and create connections with various sports groups, local organizations, delivery companies, and such.

 

It seemed some of those connections had been transferred when the Administrative Manager and others changed jobs.

 

“And the biggest issue is that the Western medicine doctor there apparently had a problematic personality from the start. But since it’s hard to recruit doctors at Oriental Medicine Hospitals… you just put up with it, right?”

 

“Mm.”

 

“When he was in a bad mood, he would severely take it out on the nurses, but the former Nursing Director was good at mediating such situations. Of course, the new person had a serious fight with the doctor and quit, and when the second person avoided him, other nurses started quitting en masse. Word must have spread in that area because new recruitment isn’t going well either.”

 

Thus, the system at Hwangje Korean Medicine Hospital’s Changwon Branch had essentially collapsed.

 

The Hospital Director, who was running the hospital at a loss, requested help from headquarters.

 

Hiring one or two people as needed to run the hospital was completely different from setting up the entire system from scratch when there was such a mass exodus.

 

In the case of large medical corporations like Hwangje Korean Medicine Hospital, even the Hospital Director just receives a salary.

 

Since the corporation bears the losses, they hurriedly came up with countermeasures.

 

“So what does that have to do with me?”

 

Hwang Sanghun asked.

 

Indeed, he understood that one of the hospitals had a big problem.

 

But hearing this story didn’t make him think, ‘Oh no! The hospital might collapse, so we must join forces quickly…!’ or anything like that.

 

“I want you to go to the Changwon Branch and solve this problem.”

 

But surprisingly, that was exactly the reaction Hwang Jihun was hoping for.

 

“What are you talking about? How could I possibly go there?”

 

“Grandfather instructed me to provide medical care in Changwon for a while and resolve this matter. It should work if I strongly recommend you.”

 

The countermeasure dispatched by Hwangje Korean Medicine Hospital was none other than Hwang Jihun.

 

He was the person serving as the Rehabilitation Medicine Department Chief at the main branch that had relocated to Gangnam, undergoing successor training.

 

“Would they listen to me? My older brother and I are completely different. I’m not even a specialist, and I’ve never even done an internship or residency at Hwangje Korean Medicine Hospital, let alone been a manager. And it’s not like I’m an external consulting expert either.”

 

“I’ll go with you, and you just need to help. If necessary, I’ll make it seem like you solved most of it… Wouldn’t it be good to gain recognition through this opportunity?”

 

Wow, making a recruitment offer with the CEO right next to him?

 

This guy is quite bold too.

 

“There’s no way that would be good.”

 

Of course, Hwang Sanghun refused sharply.

 

“…After I went through all that long explanation.”

 

“Whether you explain it briefly or at length, it’s the same. I won’t do it.”

 

“Think carefully, if you accomplish this task.”

 

“I don’t want recognition from Grandfather or Father, and I have no desire to do work outside of medical practice, nor confidence that I’d do well at it.”

 

“You could start by just watching and learning what I do from the side. Even if it’s not about recognition, you’ll have to handle management someday, won’t you?”

 

“I don’t need it. I’m going to stay as Vice Director here for life.”

 

Hwang Jihun attempted to persuade him several more times, but Hwang Sanghun spoke confidently.

 

“For, life?”

 

Hwang Jihun unconsciously looked back at me.

 

Unable to help being flustered, he was confirming whether I had really promised lifetime employment.

 

“I’m fine with it. As long as he doesn’t say he wants to leave first, I naturally plan to continue together.”

 

“That’s… that’s true, but.”

 

There aren’t many Vice Directors who do that.

 

Managers at large Oriental Medicine Hospitals have salaries similar to the median income of private practitioners, and those who receive a lot of incentives sometimes far exceed it. With stability and titles on top of that, they continue to stay even as they age.

 

But the Vice Director of a small Oriental Medicine Clinic has somewhat ambiguous prestige and salary, doesn’t he? Eventually, when the time comes, they’re bound to jump ship.

 

“Handle the work you’re assigned yourself and get all the recognition you want. Don’t drag me into it.”

 

“…You really won’t regret this?”

 

“I won’t.”

 

Hwang Sanghun answered without a moment’s hesitation.

 

It was a completely different appearance from when he was startled by his older brother’s appearance and looked at me pitifully.

 

“Well, if you don’t want to, there’s nothing I can do.”

 

Eventually, Hwang Jihun raised both hands in surrender.

 

Contrary to my worries, he didn’t try to use force to drag him along, as he had publicly declared.

 

Thanks to that, I didn’t need to resort to physical intervention either.

 

“Still, I’ll be staying in a nearby place for a while, so let’s meet often.”

 

“Ugh.”

 

At his older brother’s bright smile, Hwang Sanghun made an expression of extreme disgust.

 

Oh, that’s the first time I’ve seen such a face.

 

“Where do you live? Maybe we could even live together at your place…”

 

“I live in an officetel studio apartment. There’s no room, and I absolutely hate the idea, so get a proper place in Changwon. And I’ll unblock your calls, but never come to my workplace again.”

 

“I’m sorry about that.”

 

Hwang Jihun calmly acknowledged his rudeness and apologized to me as well.

 

“I’m truly sorry for causing trouble. Thank you for treating my back so well.”

 

“Wait, you even received treatment?”

 

Perhaps too busy to check the chart, Hwang Sanghun burst out only now learning this fact.

 

“Actually, at first I was going to somehow persuade him and take him with me, since this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But after receiving treatment, my mind changed.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

Was there something that would cause that?

 

All I did was release his multifidus muscle.

 

“I looked into you from various angles, Clinic Director. You’ve treated celebrities like actress Hyeon Jumi, and you’re expanding through your own efforts. I thought the known stories would be largely marketing, but seeing you in person, I understand why everyone admires you so much.”

 

“You’re too kind.”

 

“I personally respect you both as a Korean Medicine Doctor and as a business owner. I hope my younger brother learns a lot here.”

 

While his earlier plain compliment felt lukewarm, this time I could feel the sincerity to the point where my shoulders wanted to rise.

 

Ahem, that’s really not that much. It just turned out this way as I kept going.

 

“Take care, and let’s have dinner together around next Sunday.”

 

“Get lost. I work on Sundays.”

 

“Then Saturday would be good too.”

 

Hwang Jihun stubbornly made the appointment and stood up from his chair.

 

It was exactly 10 minutes later.

 

He bowed 45 degrees at the waist and walked lightly toward the stairs.

 

“He was like a whirlwind.”

 

As I muttered, still bewildered, Hwang Sanghun clutched his head and apologized.

 

“Ah, Hanyewon. I’m really sorry.”

 

“No, what do you have to be sorry to me about? He just received treatment and said what he wanted to say briefly.”

 

“I’m sorry for keeping you here too.”

 

Hwang Sanghun felt very embarrassed, but honestly, I found it interesting.

 

So such problems arise at hospitals?

 

Of course, it would be somewhat troublesome for us too if Hwang Sanghun opened a practice nearby and took Seo Inae away.

 

Being large-scale, the impact of staff shortages seemed complex as well.

 

“Going there might be a good experience in its own way.”

 

“If I humor him once to create some forced achievement, all the family members will be conscious of it. I know my older brother is doing this thinking of me, but I really don’t need it.”

 

Hwang Sanghun spoke as firmly as before.

 

“…”

 

But unlike how cold he was to his older brother, he hesitated slightly in front of me.

 

“Do you want me to go?”

 

“No no, going over there completely would naturally be not great. But watching hospital management from the side would probably be very helpful when opening an Oriental Medicine Hospital later?”

 

After all, they’d need to hire nurses and administrative staff on a large scale, so it would be on a different level from running a small Oriental Medicine Clinic, right?

 

Thinking about that, experiencing a hospital would have been good, but I’ve already opened my practice.

 

It would be great if Hwang Sanghun could stay for a few months like Hwang Jihun, experience the hospital, and then help me… but that’s my greed.

 

If I demanded such a thing, wouldn’t it be like the Emperor Clinic Director, placing chess pieces where needed without considering their own will at all?

 

Moreover, blood relations are natural bonds, but who am I to order such things?

 

“…”

 

Even so, Hwang Sanghun seriously pondered.

 

“No, no! You want to be Vice Director because you don’t want to do management, so I won’t tell you to go! Just make choices entirely for yourself.”

 

“It’s not necessarily because of that that I want to be Vice Director… no, thank you.”

 

But in the end, he didn’t change his decision.

 

He apologized once more for his older brother’s rudeness and left work.

 

* * *

 

The next day.

 

As I was passing through the corridor to go to the treatment room, familiar faces were registering at the front desk.

 

“Mr. Choi Gwi-jae, Ms. Park Seon-yun! It’s been a while?”

 

Park Seon-yun had brought Chairman Choi Gwi-jae and showed their faces after a long time.

 

“Hello!”

 

“It’s been a while. Oh, Clinic Director, I heard you moved? A house is indeed better, isn’t it?”

 

Choi Gwi-jae also spotted me and exchanged greetings.

 

Oh, I only bragged to Park Seseun once, but it spread to everyone?

 

This family really gets along well.

 

“Yes. I’m extremely satisfied with it.”

 

“After a few months, the trees might become difficult to handle. If you need a gardener, I’ll introduce you to one, so please let me know.”

 

“Thank you. I’ll try managing it myself first, and if that doesn’t work, I’ll let you know.”

 

I was fairly confident in pruning, but I was grateful for his consideration.

 

“What’s bothering you today? Perhaps… a relapse?”

 

Since we weren’t inside the examination room, I didn’t mention incontinence, but Choi Gwi-jae understood immediately.

 

“Haha, I brought him here to get some tonic medicine prepared.”

 

“Seon Yun was telling me that lately whenever he tries to exercise, he can’t get strength into his arms and legs. It would be better to respond preemptively before it becomes painful.”

 

“Ah, that’s good. At your age, you can easily lose energy. But there are many patients today… please wait just a little.”

 

“All a retired old man has left is time.”

 

Choi Gwi-jae smiled broadly and moved to a chair in the waiting room.

 

I had to go back to the treatment room soon, and she seemed to be having various conversations with her grandson.

 

After seeing all the backed-up patients like that.

 

“Can I see the follow-up patient now?”

 

I opened the examination room door and checked with the front desk.

 

“Oh, isn’t that right. My back was bent like a hunchback, but it straightened right up and my son was all surprised!”

 

“Really? Even advanced spinal stenosis can be treated like this.”

 

“Everywhere else said it couldn’t be done. What brings you here?”

 

“Last time I received treatment for an injured adductor muscle in my leg and incontinence, and this time I came to get tonic medicine prepared.”

 

“Ah, tonic medicine is good! I’ve been giving it to my boyfriend regularly and the effects are definite!”

 

“Boyfriend?”

 

“Don’t misunderstand. I’ve been widowed for a lo~ng time.”

 

“Ah, that wasn’t the kind of misunderstanding I had. We’re in the same situation.”

 

Before I knew it, Chairman Choi Gwi-jae and Grandmother Heo Sunnam had become close.

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