A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 465

Chapter 91: Head of Neurosurgery (1)

“I want to treat emergency patients.”

“Emergency patients? Other university hospitals are overflowing with them.”

The hospital director frowned, seemingly unable to believe Junhoo’s words.

Indeed…

Junhoo’s explanation wasn’t entirely convincing.

Anyone who has been to a university hospital emergency room knows that they are open around the clock and always overflowing with patients.

“Even among university hospitals, there aren’t many designated as regional trauma centers, are there?”

“Hmm… that’s true. But does that really matter to you?”

“It matters.”

Junhoo paused before continuing.

“I received training in the Boost-Up Program at Mayo Clinic, and it would be a shame not to use what I learned.”

“You said you also received trauma surgery training at Mayo?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Junhoo nodded vigorously.

Cerebrovascular section.

Brain tumor section.

Cervical and lumbar spine section.

Stereotactic neurosurgery section.

Hand surgery (amputation).

Trauma surgery section.

Pediatric neurosurgery section.

At Mayo Clinic, Junhoo mastered a whopping seven sub-specialties before returning.

Busan Shinwon University was the perfect place to use all the knowledge he had acquired.

But in reality…

Junhoo’s answer was only half the truth.

The real reason Junhoo came to Busan was to crush Pyo Seong-deok.

Pyo Seong-deok was like a vampire, obsessed with his own performance and sucking the blood of the surrounding medical staff.

If Pyo Seong-deok became the hospital director…

It was easy to predict how Busan Shinwon University would be run. *I didn’t like you since I was a resident. Using promotions as bait to incite fights between professors,* Junhoo thought.

Perhaps it was because he had accumulated experience and built up his career.

Now, Junhoo couldn’t be satisfied with simply treating patients. He felt a desire to crush the corrupt forces within the hospital one by one.

And the first step was Busan and Pyo Seong-deok.

“You’ll be overwhelmed just managing neurosurgery. Will you be able to handle trauma surgery as well?”

“I can. I will.”

“Your confidence is sky-high.”

“If I didn’t have this much confidence, I wouldn’t have come down to Busan.”

The hospital director chuckled at Junhoo’s words, crossed his legs, and took a sip of coffee.

*What is that hundred-year-old serpent thinking right now?* Junhoo wondered. *I wanted to get inside his head.*

“You were lucky to call me, Director. I know you don’t like me…”

Junhoo threw back a counter-question.

Junhoo also had many questions for the hospital director.

“That’s right. I don’t like you. You may not understand, but people who are too righteous and noble make those around them uncomfortable.”

“Then why me…?”

“Putting everything else aside, you’re skilled. Having a star surgeon at the hospital makes image-making easier.”

“…”

“Like Professor Lee Jong-guk of Jooah University Hospital.”

As expected, the hospital director’s reason for calling Junhoo wasn’t pure.

Wasn’t Jooah University Hospital becoming famous because of Professor Lee Jong-guk’s dedicated treatment and way of thinking?

The hospital director wanted a similar effect.

“Aren’t you barking up the wrong tree?” [Engaging in a futile endeavor.]

“Why is that?”

“It’s true that Jooah University became famous because of Professor Lee Jong-guk, but that fame was notoriety.”

By ostracizing the trauma center and Professor Lee Jong-guk, Jooah University Hospital was heavily criticized by the public.

They said they had no blood or tears.

They didn’t know the hospital was such a money-grubber.

“Director Seo.”

A gentle smile appeared on the hospital director’s face.

The smile Junhoo had experienced before.

A condescending smile with only one corner of his mouth raised.

Junhoo felt nauseous for a moment.

“You only know one thing and not the other.”

The hospital director shook his index finger from side to side.

“Now that Professor Lee Jong-guk has left the field, Jooah University still remains. People have already forgotten the notoriety of Jooah University.”

“…”

“So who is the winner?”

“…”

Junhoo deliberately didn’t answer.

He didn’t want to say what the hospital director wanted to hear.

He didn’t want to admit it either.

That the world is ultimately won by those with great power.

“I have no doubt that Director Seo will take a different path from Professor Lee Jong-guk. You are righteous, but you also know how to bend appropriately. Can I look forward to your performance?”

“Of course.”

The conversation ended like that.

Even after leaving the hospital director’s office, Junhoo stared at the door for a long time.

His eyes were filled with murderous intent.

*Go ahead, keep flapping your gums,* Junhoo thought. *I’ll crush your nose soon enough.*

*You fool.*

*You’ve brought a grim reaper into your house.*

Junhoo’s determination was burning.

* * *

Hospital Director’s Office.

After Junhoo left, the hospital director immediately had a meeting with the director of the Shinwon Group Foundation.

Deputy Director Han Jeong-hyeon of the foundation was sitting in the seat where Junhoo had sat.

Han Jeong-hyeon was a sophisticated woman in her 40s.

“You’ve been handling things quite roughly lately.”

Jeong-hyeon sneered and adjusted her glasses.

“Replacing department heads without reporting to the foundation. You do understand your own position as hospital director, right?”

Jeong-hyeon’s tone was gentle, but her words hid a sharp blade.

The hospital director frowned at her words.

But the expression was fleeting.

“Deputy Director. I didn’t have time to go through the reporting system one by one. Such a good item came on the market, didn’t it?”

“You’re talking about Director Seo Junhoo?”

“Yes.”

“Well, he certainly seems skilled, but…”

Jeong-hyeon trailed off.

“But?”

“He’s definitely not the right person for Busan. It would be different if he worked at the main hospital.”

“What’s the difference between Seoul and Busan? A knife that cuts well in Seoul cuts well in Busan too.”

The hospital director subtly criticized Jeong-hyeon’s logic.

“The difference between Seoul and Busan. Do you really not know?”

Jeong-hyeon’s expression turned vicious. Her words, which poured out like a machine gun, had bite.

Unlike the Seoul headquarters, Busan Shinwon University is suffering from chronic deficits.

They are losing patients to Busan Jewon University Hospital, which is located nearby.

Service evaluations are always at the bottom, and so on.

Like a cat catching a mouse.

Jeong-hyeon was dominating the hospital director. Thanks to her, the temperature in the reception room dropped by 2 degrees.

“We recruited the hospital director for the development of Busan, but there hasn’t been much progress so far.”

“If it was a problem that could be solved in two years, the hospital wouldn’t be in this state now. Please watch a little more patiently.”

“I don’t think the higher-ups think so.”

Jeong-hyeon shook her head.

Like a fox.

She has all the power, but she’s denying it…

The hospital director clicked his tongue inwardly.

The person with the most influence in managing Busan Shinwon University Hospital was Han Jeong-hyeon.

So it was absurd for her to mention the higher-ups.

“Back to the main point, about Director Seo Junhoo.”

“Yes, Deputy Director.”

“Have him work in Busan for only about 6 months and then send him up to Seoul.”

“That won’t do. How much effort did I put into scouting him!”

The surprised hospital director jumped up.

He was startled as if he had been splashed with cold water.

“If Director Seo is in Busan, Busan’s deficit will get even bigger. It would be different if he was in the internal medicine department, but he’s in the surgery department, which doesn’t make much money.”

“Isn’t this too sudden?”

“Wasn’t bringing Director Seo here without reporting sudden?”

Jeong-hyeon showed no signs of backing down.

*Well, ever since that busy person came to visit in person, he had a feeling that something uneasy was about to happen,* the director thought.

What to do now?

Without Junhoo, all his plans would be in vain…

After a long deliberation, the hospital director decided to make a final bet.

At this point, it was all or nothing.

There was only one way to change Jeong-hyeon’s mind.

“Deputy Director. Then give me exactly one year instead of 6 months.”

“Will giving you 6 more months change anything?”

As expected, Jeong-hyeon’s reaction was cold. Cold air flowed from her face, expression, and tone.

“I’ll completely change the hospital’s finances within a year with Director Seo. If there’s no change after a year, I’ll take off my clothes and leave too.”

“Are you serious?”

For the first time, a look of bewilderment appeared on the Ice Witch’s face.

She probably didn’t expect the hospital director to bet his own position.

“You’re not acting like the hospital director I know?”

“Then you didn’t know me well. Anyway, I’ve put my position on the line, so you can grant me this request, right?”

“Hmm… alright. But make sure you take responsibility for what you said.”

“Who do you think you’re talking to?”

After Jeong-hyeon left, the hospital director got up from his seat.

He stood in front of the window and looked down at the scenery of the hospital.

The fact that this scenery might not be under his feet in a year felt strange.

“If I suck Seo Junhoo dry, it’s a game with enough chances of winning. I’ll never back down.”

The hospital director smiled sinisterly.

* * *

After leaving the hospital director’s office.

The first place Junhoo visited was the neurosurgery outpatient clinic.

10 a.m.

It was the time when the hospital was busiest, and many patients and guardians were sitting in the waiting room.

There were a total of 6 professors seeing outpatients.

They were all members of the Shinwon University Medical School.

*The situation isn’t very good,* Junhoo thought.

Junhoo’s eyes narrowed as he scanned the neurosurgery outpatient clinic.

Whether it was because Busan had a small population or because it was less well-known than the surrounding university hospitals, the number of patients was surprisingly small.

Compared to the Seoul headquarters, it was only about a third.

The waiting seats were sparsely empty.

There were also empty seats on the electronic display showing waiting patients.

The hospital building was state-of-the-art, but if the number of patients was so small, the operating deficit would be large.

Junhoo, as a doctor, couldn’t lightly dismiss the hospital’s financial problems.

Just as office workers are obsessed with performance, doctors have no choice but to be obsessed with performance.

Moreover, Junhoo was currently the head of neurosurgery.

The profitability of neurosurgery was likely to hold Junhoo back for a long time.

*That’s probably what the hospital director expects from me. The ripple effect of a star surgeon,* Junhoo mused.

It wasn’t necessary to only criticize the hospital director’s snobbery.

Anyway, the hospital had to make a profit to keep running.

The important thing was to provide satisfactory medical services to patients while making enough profit for the hospital.

Bang!

Junhoo entered an empty outpatient clinic.

It was the place where Junhoo would be seeing patients in the future.

There was already a nameplate on the desk that read ‘Seo Junhoo, Head of Neurosurgery’.

The interior was also clean, as if it had been cleaned once. There wasn’t a speck of dust.

Junhoo immediately picked up his cell phone and started a SNS [Social Networking Service] live broadcast.

He didn’t have high expectations.

But a whopping 3,000 people logged into the broadcast.

“Hello everyone. I haven’t been able to use SNS because I was serving in the military, but thank you for coming to see me so much. I’ve come down to Busan and started a new life as a doctor. I’ll give you a tour of the clinic.”

-Wow! It’s clean and nice.

-I live in Busan too. Welcome to Busan. Now I can see you in person.

-When do you start seeing outpatients? My father has been having severe headaches lately ㅠㅠ

Chatting poured in so much that it couldn’t be contained in one glance.

But like a martial artist, Junhoo read the chats one by one through Angong (a martial art that uses the eyes).

He read and answered directly if there were chats that needed answers or good topics.

The live broadcast lasted about 30 minutes and ended successfully.

The video he just took was also going to be uploaded to NewTube [a fictional analogue to YouTube].

Since the side job regulations disappeared when he was discharged, he could revive NewTube as well.

Currently, Junhoo’s goals were clear.

1) Provide the best medical service to patients while increasing hospital profitability.

2) Take control of the neurosurgery department.

3) Increase influence through NewTube and SNS.

If these three things created synergy, it would be enough to raise Busan Shinwon University alone.

It was similar to how the surrounding commercial districts become 활성화 [invigorated] when a 맛집 [famous restaurant] opens.

Like the Alley Restaurant program that once caused the Park Jong-won craze.

When neurosurgery starts to receive the spotlight, the halo will naturally spread to other departments.

*I’m going to change everything.*

*I have the ability to do that.*

Junhoo, who had finished his work, left the outpatient clinic and headed to his next destination.

Surprisingly, the destination was the ‘Admissions Department’.