Patients have right to best care possible

A VIDEO CLIP of a doctor at a hospital in Yancheng, East China's Jiangsu province, playing a smartphone card game while supposedly conducting a medical check for a patient went viral on Saturday. The hospital said later that day the doctor had been criticized and fined 2,000 yuan ($300). Beijing News commented on Monday:

Public hospitals are not a business, but a public service. They have a duty to care for patients and they are required to provide considerate medical services.

If patients cannot enjoy good medical services, they will no doubt feel frustrated and outraged, especially if doctors seem to not be fully committed to caring for patients and instead appear to be more interested in playing games on their phones.