Surveillance video shows medical staff cutting open the patient's clothes during resuscitation. Video screenshot
Family claims cash, ID card, and other belongings were lost, demanding 1,000 yuan in compensation; hospital compensates and says 'we'd still cut if necessary,' but work could be more meticulous
In the emergency room, a patient in a deep coma suffered respiratory arrest. Medical staff cut off his clothes to perform CPR and other procedures, ultimately stabilizing his condition. The family claimed that after the clothes were cut, some belongings were lost during treatment, and they demanded 1,000 yuan in 'lost item fees' from the hospital.
Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, a top-tier hospital, experienced such a claim. On September 21, four members of the rescue team shared the 'lost item fee' equally. On the 22nd, the hospital affirmed the rescue team's actions and fully covered the compensation. Additionally, the Wuhan Municipal Health and Family Planning Commission has intervened, requiring protection of patient rights while soothing medical staff emotions.
The doctor involved, Xia Jian, deputy director of the hospital's emergency center, told The Beijing News that there are currently no unified regulations for emergency procedures in China, relying on doctors' judgment based on actual situations, but in rescues, patients' clothes often 'must be cut,' otherwise treatment would be delayed. He said the patient's behavior is 'understandable' and also reflected that their work 'could be more meticulous.'
Cutting patient's clothes during rescue, family demands 'lost item fee'
On September 11 at 4:25 PM, a patient was brought to the emergency center of Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University. According to information, the male patient, named Li Ping (pseudonym), 34, was a network administrator at an internet cafe in Wuhan. He suddenly fainted at work, and the cafe owner called 120 for help.
Xia Jian, deputy director of the hospital's emergency center, recalled that the patient suffered a sudden pulmonary embolism leading to coma, and upon arrival, his heart and breathing had stopped, making it 'extremely dangerous.' Medical staff immediately formed a rescue team for treatment.
Surveillance video shows at least eight medical staff participating in the rescue, with four successively performing chest compressions on Li Ping. Around 5:30 PM, two medical staff used scissors to cut open the patient's shorts and top, placing them aside. Half an hour later, the rescue team used a cardiopulmonary bypass machine to treat the patient.
'After using the cardiopulmonary bypass machine, Li Ping's condition improved, and he was transferred to the ICU that evening,' Xia Jian introduced. Seven days later, his condition further improved, and the hospital moved him to a general ward for care.
On September 17, Li Ping's father demanded that the hospital compensate for the loss of 500 yuan in cash, ID card, bank card, data cable, and the cut clothes, which he claimed were lost during treatment. He said the hospital should bear the losses from damaged clothes and lost belongings, and demanded 1,500 yuan in compensation, calling it 'lost item fees.'
Medical staff pooled money to compensate, then hospital fully covered
The hospital stated that when the family made the claim on September 17, the hospital believed the rescue team had made no errors, and the cause of the lost belongings was unclear, so they refused compensation. On the evening of the 19th, after the family called the police, they came to the hospital with the police and again demanded compensation. Eventually, both parties reached an agreement: because the medical staff did not check the patient's clothes for belongings when handling them, they compensated 1,000 yuan for the loss, which was equally shared by four main rescue team members.
A reporter from The Beijing News obtained a handwritten 'Receipt Explanation' from Li Ping's father, stating that Li Ping 'was rescued at the emergency center of Zhongnan Hospital on September 11 due to respiratory and cardiac arrest, and items in his pockets were lost, demanding 1,000 yuan in compensation from the center, and the center's medical staff paid 1,000 yuan in cash as required.'
Li Ping's father told local media that he is grateful for the doctors' efforts to save his son's life, but 'one thing is one thing,' the hospital did not return the belongings from Li Ping's pockets to the family, 'if there is negligence in work, compensation should be made,' '500 yuan is for the clothes and data cable, 500 yuan is for the cash loss, and the time cost of reissuing the bank card and ID card is not even counted.'
After the incident, the Wuhan Municipal Health and Family Planning Commission intervened, requiring protection of patient rights while soothing medical staff emotions. A hospital staff member responsible for publicity said the hospital affirmed the rescue team's timely actions and fully covered the cost.
Dialogue
The doctor involved, Xia Jian, deputy director of the emergency center at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University
'I'd still cut if necessary, but work can be more meticulous'
On the afternoon of the 22nd, when 'cutting patient's clothes led to claim' drew attention, the doctor involved, Xia Jian, was in the emergency room performing CPR on a patient. Xia Jian said that after this incident, in dangerous situations, he would still cut clothes, but also reflected that their work 'could be more meticulous.'
'In many cases, cutting is necessary'
Beijing News: What was the patient's condition when he was brought to the hospital?
Xia Jian: He was in a coma when brought to the emergency room, 'extremely dangerous.' We performed CPR on the spot, but his condition was very unstable because his heart couldn't beat. The only way to save his life was to use a cardiopulmonary bypass machine to prevent brain hypoxia. At that time, after the patient's boss signed consent, we urgently used the equipment. Examination revealed that both pulmonary arteries were completely blocked.
Beijing News: In what situations during rescue do you need to cut open the patient's clothes?
Xia Jian: In many cases, clothes must be cut. For example, for injections, IV fluids, or medication, clothes need to be cut; for chest compressions, we need precise positioning and fast speed, and wearing clothes would delay the process and reduce quality. Taking them off is not only slow but also inconvenient, so they must be cut. Every minute is precious in emergency care; according to international practice, cutting is the fastest way, otherwise we might miss the best opportunity to save the patient.
Beijing News: After cutting, where did the patient's clothes go?
Xia Jian: After quickly cutting, the clothes were put aside. We didn't have time or energy to organize them. According to routine, they should have been disposed of as garbage. In hindsight, we didn't do our best in this regard. At the time, we thought the priority was to respect life and save the patient, so we didn't pay attention to that.
'There is indeed room for improvement'
Beijing News: How did you feel when the family came to claim compensation?
Xia Jian: To be honest, at first, I felt a bit uncomfortable. Later, putting myself in their shoes, I felt the family's actions were understandable. There must be a reason for them to take this step. The total treatment cost was over 100,000 yuan. The patient works as a network administrator at an internet cafe, and the family income is not high. For them, a loss of 1,000 yuan might be relatively significant.
Beijing News: How do you view the controversy this incident has sparked?
Xia Jian: Many medical staff and netizens have said they are willing to pay the compensation for us, but that's really unnecessary. Because in our handling, there is indeed room for improvement; at least we could have been more meticulous. The relationship between doctors and patients should be harmonious.
Beijing News: Will this incident affect your future work?
Xia Jian: It won't. In the future, in emergency situations, I will still cut clothes when necessary, but I will consider things more carefully.
Follow-up
How are cut clothes handled?
Several doctors with emergency experience said that there are currently no unified regulations for emergency procedures in China. Some medical schools and institutions have established internal operating standards, which may include requirements for condition assessment and CPR compression position, but they do not specify to the level of 'whether to cut clothes.'
'Life can slip away in an instant; delay might mean losing the patient.' A doctor from Zhongda Hospital Southeast University said that on-site handling requires doctors to make judgments based on the condition, and it must be fast. To provide effective treatment in the shortest time, cutting off the patient's clothes is a routine operation, 'for example, some orthopedic patients have clothes stuck to their skin, and they must be cut open immediately.'
The above doctor said that according to operating procedures, cut clothes need to be cleaned by nurses, and any belongings should be handed over to the family for safekeeping.
Xia Jian, deputy director of the emergency center at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, also mentioned that after the patient's clothes were cut, because his companion was outside the emergency room, they couldn't contact them. And at that time, the emergency room was very busy, and while fully rescuing the patient, there was no energy to organize the clothes. Additionally, Zhao Shan, director of the hospital's emergency center, admitted to local media that due to the tense rescue process, medical staff did not conduct necessary checks on the patient's clothes, 'there was indeed negligence.'
