Police to patrol city's hospitals

In an attempt to protect medical workers from violent attacks from the public, police officers will be stationed at major hospitals in Beijing.

Yu Zhen, a manager for Beijing Hospital Management Bureau, said that officers wearing bulletproof vests and puncture-resistant gloves will patrol in emergency rooms, outpatient departments and on all hospital floors at 50 major hospitals in the capital, reported the Beijing Times yesterday.

"It's to deter violent attacks occurring in hospitals. Precautions should be taken before attacks happen to eradicate the phenomenon," Yu said.

Hospitals will be equipped with state-of-the art 360 degree surveillance cameras, and a joint system is to be established to guarantee that both police and security guards can rush to the site if a violent event occurs, the report said.

In recent years, doctors and hospital staff have come under attack from disgruntled patients, who were dissatisfied with their medical treatment.

On April 13, two doctors were stabbed in Beijing, one at Peking University People's Hospital in Xicheng district and another at Aerospace Hospital in Fengtai district, reported Life Times in late April.

According to a China Central Television report in early May, statistics from the Ministry of Health showed that there were 17,243 disputes over medical treatment in hospitals nationwide in 2010, up from around 10,000 in 2005, not all were violent, however.

While many medical workers in the capital accept the need for the new measures, some remain skeptical that all are necessary or will be effective.

A doctor, surnamed Liu, who was unwilling to say which hospital he works in, told the Global Times that some measures to combat the recent violence are to be expected.

"To some extent, the regulations will work because doctors will feel safe psychologically and those who want to attack medical workers would feel intimidated," said Liu. However, said Liu, the real problem is to improve relations between doctors and patients.

A nurse, surnamed Wang, told the Global Times that having a police presence will be effective, but she suggested that security guards should be given more responsibility to solve security emergencies.

"If there's violence, security guards can't do anything," she said, adding that the guards almost have no effect although many hospitals have a security system.

Wang said she and her colleagues are opposed to having 360 degree cameras.

"It's not to monitor patients or protect medical staff, but to supervise us," she said.

Patients also wondered whether the new rules might be a little too much.

In the emergency room at Beijing Chaoyang Second Hospital in Chaoyang district, Wang Jing, 27, an engineer, said yesterday that she would feel surprised if she saw officers dressed up like riot police in a hospital. She suggested that notices should be posted to explain the need for the officers.

"I'm OK with it because lots of patients go to see doctors every day and disputes happen easily," said Wang.

However, she said hospitals can hire more guards to patrol the hospital, rather than police.

"There should be instructions on the wall, stating clearly where patients can go if they are unsatisfied with doctors or nurses, so that these violent incidents will decrease," she said.

A man helping out a family member at the hospital, surnamed Feng, 27, agreed with Wang.

"We must ensure medical workers and patients are safe, but the real problem is that currently it's too difficult to see doctors," said Feng.

How many policemen will be dispatched and how they are to function remains unknown, since specific measures are still under discussion, according to Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau and Beijing Municipal Health Bureau. The bureaus are working together on the new regulations and plan to release more details in the coming days.