Chapter 1091: Bian Que

During the live nationwide broadcast of the dialogue program “Walking with National Heroes”.

Twenty kilometers away from Celestial Star Group.

Ba Yi Hospital in Linjiang City.

Yan Minxia was attentively listening to the doctor’s explanation: “Your mother’s kidney stone is too large, with a diameter of 2.6 centimeters. The initial extracorporeal lithotripsy was not effective, so now surgery is the only way to remove the stone.

“I recommend using percutaneous nephrolithotripsy, a method to completely resolve your mother’s issue. It’s a highly mature minimally invasive surgery and we have been using it for many years…”

Yan Minxia interrupted the doctor and asked, “Dr. Zhang, how exactly is this surgery performed?”

Dr. Zhang, who had been in practice for many years, was asked for the first time by a family member about the specifics of a surgery, making him somewhat displeased.

He wanted to retort, “Does asking so much really help? You wouldn’t perform the lithotripsy at home, in the end, you’d still need to come to the hospital obediently for the surgery.”

However, for the sake of performance metrics, Dr. Zhang patiently explained, “In simple terms, first, a small channel is established from the skin to the kidney in the lower back.

“Then a nephroscope passes through the channel into the kidney, using laser, ultrasound and other methods to crush and remove the kidney stone efficiently.

“The diameter of the channel is about 0.5 centimeters, minimizing harm to the human body, and allowing faster recovery, which is why it is called minimally invasive surgery.”

Yan Minxia acknowledged with an “Oh” and asked, “What about the surgery costs?”

Dr. Zhang glanced at the family member, assessing her as a difficult type, and decided to give more detailed information: “The cost breakdown for percutaneous nephrolithotripsy mainly includes pre-operative examination fees.

“These include basic tests such as blood routine, urine routine, liver and kidney functions, as well as imaging tests like urinary ultrasound and intravenous pyelography to determine the location, size, and structure of the stone and kidney.

“Then, there’s the surgery-related expenses, including the procedure fee, anesthesia fee, and costs for consumables like nephroscope, guide wire, and puncture needle.

“Additionally, post-operative expenses include antibiotics, painkillers, fluids, post-operative medications, nursing, and monitoring fees, and re-examination fees.

“Finally, there is the hospital bed fee; typically, the surgery requires a five to seven-day hospital stay.

“Our hospital is a Level 3 facility, with stronger technical capabilities and better equipment, thus the charges are slightly higher, with the total cost generally around thirty thousand yuan.”

Dr. Zhang made a deliberate note: “Of course, that’s the cost if paid fully out-of-pocket. Your mother has insurance, so after reimbursement, usually, you only have to pay ten thousand yuan.”

Yan Minxia suddenly posed a question very characteristic of the current era: “My mother is elderly and it’s tough for her to lie in a hospital for seven days. Now that it’s the Superpower Era, can’t the hospital have a Superpower User utilize Power to remotely crush my mother’s kidney stone?”

This suggestion was quite imaginative, catching Dr. Zhang off guard for a moment.

He hesitated for several seconds before coming up with a rhetorical rejection: “The kidney is a very fragile organ; even we doctors need instruments to perform lithotripsy, and must be especially cautious during the operation.

“An untrained Superpower User attempting lithotripsy risks not breaking the stone and damaging the kidney instead, which I don’t consider a scientific treatment method.”

Dr. Zhang knew well that the family member’s proposed solution had feasibility to some extent and even if not feasible, it possessed high research value.

But the problem was, the hospital would never do it.

The reason was simple: if Superpower Users started doing surgeries in hospitals en masse, what would be left for us doctors to do?

Thus, having Superpower Users use Power to crush stones would surely damage the kidney first.

Dr. Zhang decided not to continue discussing this absurd topic with the other party and straightforwardly said, “That’s the basic situation. You and your mother should discuss it and decide together.”

Yan Minxia understood this was a dismissal, politely said “Thank you, doctor,” and stood up to leave the consultation room.

Dr. Zhang watched her back momentarily and suddenly found himself a bit annoyed with this so-called Superpower Era.

Back then it was so much simpler: whatever tests we recommended, patients and families would obediently comply, and whatever surgeries we suggested, they would accept wholeheartedly.

There’d never be family members like these who indulge in fantasy, wanting to use superpowers for lithotripsy!

Outside.

With her mother in the restroom, Yan Minxia found a spot to sit and wait.

She pulled out her phone for a glance, immediately seeing a notification: “Breaking news! Watch ‘Walking with National Heroes’ and witness the grace of Yang Fan, recipient of Great Xia’s Highest National Hero Medal!”

With a flicker of curiosity, Yan Minxia clicked into the national TV station’s live broadcast.

She immediately heard a sentence.

“…The great revolution in the medical industry has arrived; all personnel must either embrace the tide of the era or be left far behind.”

Suddenly, an idea sprang to Yan Minxia’s mind: “By the way, can Tianxing Hospital treat my mother’s kidney stone?”

Linjiang City, as the “base” of Celestial Star Group, has seen the establishment of no fewer than three hospitals by Celestial Star Medical Group within the city.

And Yang Fan unprecedentedly conquered all cancer treatment methods, leading to numerous late-stage cancer patients flocking from around the world to these three hospitals seeking a cure.

Because there are just too many patients, citizens totaling millions from Linjiang City seldom go to the three Tianxing Hospitals for consultation.

Yan Minxia promptly downloaded the Tianxing Medical app and began attempting to schedule an appointment.

Usually, kidney stones fall under urology.

She hadn’t found urology but discovered a pleasant surprise—a stone treatment center.

This seems to be a newly established department at Tianxing Hospital, with available slots this afternoon.

Beneath it was a brief introduction: “Our center mainly treats various human stones, including kidney stones, bladder stones, gallbladder stones, bile duct stones, tartar, pancreatic stones, nasal stones, etc.”

Yan Minxia was exceptionally amazed.

Tartar placed alongside kidney stones, treated by the same department—this really disrupted her worldview.

What shocked her even more was another line: “Depending on the type of stone and the difficulty of treatment, the cost of stone removal at this center ranges from 100 Xia Yuan to 3000 Xia Yuan.”

At most only 3000 Xia Yuan, compared to the 30000 Xia Yuan quoted by Dr. Zhang, it was a tenfold difference.

Yan Minxia immediately booked an appointment without hesitation.

*

One hour later.

Yan Minxia, accompanied by her mother, traveled in a driverless smart vehicle to the South City branch of Tianxing Hospital.

Just as the information online described, the environment of Tianxing Hospital was bright, clean, and tidy, with a very high level of technology.

From the moment they got out of the car, a miniature drone flew over, guiding the two of them through the treatment process.

Yan Minxia also noticed that there were many movable smart hospital beds transferring patients back and forth within the building, each equipped with a smart assistant that occasionally had quiet conversations with the patients.

Many patients were also roaming around the building in smart wheelchairs, which also had smart assistants installed.

Instead, there were not many nurses or similar staff to be seen.

It was like a scene straight out of a sci-fi movie, completely unlike a traditional hospital.

Soon.

Yan Minxia and her mother were in front of the outpatient doctor.

The doctor looked quite young, approximately twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, easily giving the impression of “lack of experience.”

He wore a pair of smart glasses, glanced at the relevant information, and said, “Kidney stone, a minor issue, I’ll schedule the surgery right away, it only takes ten minutes, and after a thirty-minute observation, you can go home.”

Yan Minxia was somewhat surprised.

Can they really go home so soon?

In comparison, the doctors at Ba Yi Hospital, implied that “the problem is somewhat serious,” which made her a bit incredulous.

Yan Minxia couldn’t help but ask, “Don’t we need to arrange for any tests?”

The young doctor shook his head and said, “You guys did many tests at Ba Yi Hospital; I saw the report through the Health Bureau’s medical data center. There’s no need for redundant tests; it would only waste money and is meaningless.”

Yan Minxia still felt the doctor was too young and asked further, “Does my mom have any other issues?”

The young doctor replied, “I used the world’s most advanced intelligent health model, ‘Bian Que,’ for diagnosis. Apart from the kidney stone, there are only some common chronic diseases in the elderly.

“But these are not serious issues. There’s no need to spend money on hospital visits. I’ll provide a detailed health diagnosis book later, and you can treat it at home accordingly.

“Every so often, you can visit any hospital for a check-up. Just upload the results to Bian Que.

“Bian Que will update the health diagnosis book, and you can follow it for the next steps. Within two to three years, these chronic diseases should improve significantly.

“If there’s anything unclear, you can inquire Bian Que at any time.”

He emphasized deliberately, “You won’t need to pay anything for the health diagnosis book and Bian Que’s health consultation services.”

Yan Minxia increasingly sensed the stark contrast in the approaches of the two hospitals.

The doctors at Ba Yi Hospital also mentioned elderly chronic diseases and suggested visiting other departments for treatment.

However, the doctor at Tianxing Hospital kept insisting “it’s no big deal” and even suggested self-treatment to save money.

It’s the first time in her life she encountered a doctor so focused on saving money for patients, leaving her a bit perplexed.

Yan Minxia still had questions, “Ba Yi said my mom’s coronary heart disease is quite serious…”

The young doctor interrupted her for the first time, “According to the Bian Que diagnosis, even if the elder does nothing about it, there won’t be any issues for five years.

“The essence of coronary heart disease is actually the aging of body functions. Hospital treatment could indeed ease symptoms.

“But we do not recommend it because there are healthier, safer, and more effective treatment methods that significantly save costs.

“I strongly suggest that you read the health diagnosis book at home, which records the ‘Five Qi Opening Skill’ created by Mr. Ma Youde.

“Let the elder practice the fourth section diligently; long-term practice can significantly strengthen the heart and lung meridians.

“Collaborate with the dietary therapy plan and gentle tonic treatment scheme provided in the health diagnosis book, and there’s a good chance of improving body functions, and the coronary heart disease will naturally be resolved.”

Yan Minxia was half-believing and half-doubting.

But logically, she found what the young doctor said made sense; indeed, if aging is the root cause, addressing body function improvement seems reasonable.

Moreover, they offered so much advice without charging a cent, so there appeared to be no reason to deceive her.

The young doctor tactfully concluded the conversation, “Alright, the surgery is scheduled, and the smart guide assistant will provide the most detailed instructions.”

As he spoke,

a drone already flew over, and a gentle electronic female voice sounded: “Mrs. Yan Minxia, Lady Luping, please follow me to the stone extraction center.”

The young doctor remembered something and called out, “By the way, this treatment’s total bill amounts to 1640 yuan, after reimbursement it’s 515 yuan, and you can complete the payment through the mobile app.”

Yan Minxia was even more surprised.

Is it only more than 500?!

Although she remained a bit skeptical about the treatment, she decided to let her mother try it since it was only 500 yuan.