The Physician of Traditional Medicine Returns from Murim - Chapter 355

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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 355

Though I spoke grandly about collecting cases, the people I would contact first were already decided.

I immediately discussed this matter with Chu Miyoung.

Since I had called her right after Yu Minseong brought up Haneul Clinic, she was curious about what had happened.

– The Cheonan Branch?

Chu Miyoung was more surprised than I expected after hearing the story.

When I asked why, it turned out that the place where Chu Miyoung had worked before opening her clinic in Busan was none other than the Haneul Korean Medicine Clinic Cheonan Branch.

– Director Kwon isn’t that kind of person… Director Son isn’t that kind of person either…

Since she knew the people working at that clinic, Chu Miyoung instinctively denied it first.

“Are both of them still there? The CEO or Vice Director could have changed, right?”

Several years had already passed, so it wouldn’t be strange if all the staff had changed.

I put my call with Chu Miyoung on speakerphone and searched on my computer for the current directors at the Cheonan Branch.

On Haneul Clinic’s official website, only Kwon Wujin, the Clinic Director, was listed.

But looking at photos posted on their blog, I saw two men and one woman in white coats with their arms linked, promoting the clinic.

– Oh? Director Kwon and Director Son are correct, but I don’t know who the woman is. Well, it was a three-person system when I was there too.

Neither looked particularly young, but their profiles only listed graduation schools and a few academic societies, with no previous work history.

Unlike the Vice Directors who had little information available, Clinic Director Kwon Wujin was quite a famous person.

He wrote columns, published books, and had appeared on TV several times.

It seemed he was as active in external activities as Clinic Director Choi Eunhee, the CEO of the main branch in the Haneul Medical Center Network.

When Chu Miyoung opened the Haneul Korean Medicine Clinic Busan Branch, most of the treatment case studies she placed in the lobby were Director Kwon Wujin’s cases.

– Director Kwon’s skills are exceptionally outstanding. Ah, but this incident isn’t about skills… Ugh, maybe he heard about the heart condition but thoughtlessly prescribed Medicine #1 and passed the complaint response to the new Vice Director…

Chu Miyoung had mixed feelings about Kwon Wujin.

His skills were excellent, and she had respected him.

But honestly, he didn’t pay much attention to the clinic and was always out and about.

Even when his prescribed patients had side effects, he would push complaint responses onto the Vice Directors.

“Hmm, he doesn’t seem like a very good person.”

– Now that I think about it, you’re right. His image is very benevolent though… Oh, come to think of it, he really recommended that I open a clinic in Busan.

“It was a multi-level structure where 5% of your revenue would go to him if you opened a clinic.”

– That’s right.

Chu Miyoung let out a deep sigh.

It was due to the Haneul Clinic system itself being that way.

But it was also true that he had used this to pressure people who weren’t properly educated or prepared to open clinics.

Considering that Chu Miyoung had worked as a Vice Director at Kwon Wujin’s clinic for a whole year, there had been plenty of opportunities to teach her, making it even harder to defend him.

“Well, regardless of who prescribed it, the CEO would have decided the post-incident response method. I don’t know Director Yu Eunjeong, but do you know Director Son Seunghun?”

– Director Son had been working as a Vice Director at the Cheonan Branch much longer than me. Since Director Kwon would just throw things at us saying ‘handle it yourselves,’ I mainly followed Director Son around and learned from him when I first started treating patients.

Hmm, there was no educational system at all.

– Should I ask Director Son what happened? This wouldn’t have been an accident he caused. He’s someone who always prioritizes eliminating risks above all else.

“Asking an insider directly would be a bit awkward. I feel like word would get around?”

– Ah, not directly. I’ll pretend to exchange greetings and casually probe by asking if anything’s been happening lately!

Chu Miyoung seemed to have many doubts about this incident and said she would contact Son Seunghun to investigate.

If she was going that far, and considering Chu Miyoung’s communication skills, there was no reason to stop her entirely.

“People can change in an instant. If something feels off, don’t make it obvious you’re prying. And actually, more than this incident, I wanted to ask you to find out if there are other cases of harm.”

While Chu Miyoung, who knew both people, found it distasteful, I didn’t think it was impossible for such things to happen.

I brought up the main point a bit late.

– Illegal aspects?

“Whether legally or ethically, anything that would make patients think ‘this isn’t right’ when they hear about it.”

Systemic issues would be good too.

Incidents like this one or the previous anorexia patient case where medical staff negligence or intent was involved.

– Ah, it shouldn’t be too difficult if I naturally probe by saying my patient complaints are severe. I’ll talk to other Haneul Clinic directors first, then contact Director Son last.

“Thank you.”

My voice dropped slightly.

Only then did Chu Miyoung realize I was planning to stir something up, and she gulped.

– Are you… thinking of making this public?

“If necessary. And if possible.”

That this incident is just the tip of the iceberg is only my speculation.

If the investigation turns up nothing, then that would be fine.

Anyway, Shin Jinhee’s friend recovered well, and regardless of Shin Jinhee’s suspicions, the patient herself seemed to have no major complaints about the settlement.

And even if various other things come to light…

If Haneul Clinic properly reflects on and apologizes for their inappropriate treatments up to now, there would be no need to make this a big issue.

Of course, when I last saw her, Choi Eunhee believed she was completely right and had no intention of listening to anyone else’s opinions.

– I’ll actively help you.

It was reassuring that Chu Miyoung, who had much broader connections, would help.

I briefly recorded the information she had given me about the directors, then looked for another person’s contact information.

Among those who had worked as branch directors of Haneul Clinic, there was one more person I was acquainted with.

It was Park Gayeong, the director of the (former) Haneul Korean Medicine Clinic Ulsan Branch, who had sold me the UV treatment machine.

When she left the network along with the Asan Branch director, Choi Eunhee had even threatened to sue me for business interference.

Of course, perhaps because she couldn’t gather evidence, I never received any contact from the court.

[It’s been a while since I contacted you. This is Hanyewon, director of Seongsoo Oriental Medicine Clinic. I have something I’d like to ask about Haneul Clinic. Would it be possible to have a phone call?]

As soon as I sent the message, Park Gayeong called me.

– What’s going on? Is someone trying to join? Or are they saying something strange over there?

Even though it had been quite a while since she left, there seemed to be a lot of pent-up feelings as she spoke in a somewhat agitated voice.

I exchanged greetings with Park Gayeong and casually brought up the topic that I was looking into problems occurring in the network.

– I can testify about the rebate issue! That damn massage chair!

…What I had been thinking about was misdiagnosis, mistreatment, and excessive treatment due to intent or negligence.

Come to think of it, there was that problem too.

Park Gayeong rambled on about forced sales of equipment and interior design for a while before clearing her throat.

– Ah, about treatment-related issues… The variation between branches is huge. Places that do well really do well and operate without problems, but incidents always break out at similar branches. Ansan Branch and Incheon Branch seem to have quite a few problems.

“Is that so?”

– Yes, yes. They force payments and refund requests come out very frequently, and I know there are a couple of lawsuits currently in progress. Ah! Cheonan Branch is also a bit strange. Nothing has blown up yet, but I heard one of the vice directors there says a lot of weird things.

“Did you hear this from the Asan Branch director?

– That’s right. They said Cheonan Branch said this and that, asking if this is correct, and news like that comes in, but there’s a lot of nonsense…

Indeed, Heinrich’s Law doesn’t exist for nothing.

Before a major accident occurs, minor accidents and signs related to it repeatedly appear.

The signs were everywhere.

“Actually, something happened. I’ll look into it focusing on the places you mentioned.”

I thought she might be troubled since she left the network.

Park Gayeong unexpectedly gave me a lot of information.

– I’ll also ask my friend in Asan. She’s attended several conferences in Seoul, so she probably knows more people.

“Ah, I’d be grateful if you could do that, but please don’t overdo it. Please check if there are any confidentiality clauses in your contract.”

I hinted that she should be careful since we live in a world where lawsuit threats can be stronger than swords.

It wasn’t exactly a joke, but Park Gayeong laughed and said that Choi Eunhee would do that and more.

I decided to leave the whistleblowing that could come from the director side to those two.

I separately searched online for Incheon Branch and Ansan Branch.

I could easily find not only people venting their anger in place reviews, but also blogs of patients who had been receiving treatment at those places.

Of course, most were positive reviews written by power bloggers for compensation.

But as I turned the pages, I found someone lamenting that their post had been made private.

[May I ask what happened?]

I left private comments one by one.

While some people didn’t check them, there were also those who gave sincere advice through long posts, telling me never to go there.

[The head director told me to trust only him, so I signed up for 6 months, but right from the next month, some young kid who doesn’t know anything is sitting there, you know? They only advertise grandly, but once you pay, you’re completely pushed aside.]

[There was no effect at all. Sigh… I guess I was stupid to believe they could treat hair loss.]

[Ugh, I don’t know. I went there not knowing it was like a beauty salon, and I was tormented for 30 minutes being told to lose weight and manage facial pigmentation before I could barely get out.]

[This is the before treatment photo and this is after. Anyone can see there’s a problem with the medicine, right? I heard some orthopedic clinic near the terminal filed a group lawsuit, but there’s nothing mentioned about this place even in mom cafes, and I’m the only one feeling frustrated. I wonder if I wasted hundreds of thousands and suffered for months for nothing…]

From minor issues to stories where patients felt so wronged they could die.

The more I dug, the more things kept coming out.

There weren’t any noisy group lawsuits, but several individual lawsuits seemed to be already in progress, and there were people whose posts were taken down while trying to publicize on anonymous sites.

‘They said they have a legal team…’

Business interference or defamation fines aren’t the problem, but it would be troublesome if such verdicts also damage my credibility as a Korean medicine doctor.

I should get legal consultation too if I’m going to do something.

So I carefully collected cases.

There were things I found out directly through the internet, and there was also quite a bit of content that Chu Miyoung and Park Gayeong brought after hearing from directors of other branches.

Especially Chu Miyoung not only dug up how things happened at Cheonan Branch, but also made amazing contact with branch directors or vice directors who usually had complaints about Haneul Clinic.

“When will you start?”

Seo Inae, who helped organize the evidence, asked.

[Should I write on the Oriental Medicine Practitioner Community first? Or would it be better to blow it up in a public place?]

Both Chu Miyoung and Park Gayeong waited for the public exposure with half expectation and half worry.

There was even someone who said they would try writing an appropriate post pretending to be an anonymous whistleblower.

“Phew.”

I printed out all the evidence I had found and that the people who helped me had provided.

It was a stack of papers thick enough to rival academic textbooks or business plans.

Anonymous public exposure would indeed cause the most damage while causing me no harm.

But the more cases accumulated like this.

I wanted to hear Choi Eunhee’s thoughts.

‘Anyway, I have all the evidence, and nothing will change even if I’m a few days late.’

I went to visit Haneul Clinic Gangnam Main Branch.

“Welcome… uh oh.”

While the staff hesitated, whether they recognized me or sensed from my presence that I wasn’t an ordinary patient.

I strode toward them.

Thud!

And I set down my briefcase and said.

“I’d like to see Director Choi Eunhee.”

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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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