Shanxi hospital details response to posting of surgery photos

A Shanxi hospital has detailed the results of an investigation into a breach of patient privacy involving the posting of surgery images online.

A widespread discussion was sparked online on Sunday when a person believed to be an intern nurse at the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University posted a series of photos from an obstetric surgery scene, one of which showed a patient's private parts. On Tuesday, the hospital issued an initial statement announcing it had established a special investigation team to conduct a comprehensive inquiry.

On Friday, the hospital announced that the investigation had found that the individual involved was a midwifery major student who is interning at the hospital and that the student's actions constituted a severe violation of professional ethics and patient privacy protection regulations.

Following the incident, the hospital instructed the student to delete the unauthorized content and terminated the internship.

The hospital has apologized to the patient and their family and arranged for dedicated personnel to provide psychological support and ensure the protection of their rights.

The hospital has imposed a range of penalties on relevant personnel, while a special initiative to protect patient privacy has been launched. The statement announced plans for extra education on medical ethics, enhanced training supervision, and improved complaint and reporting mechanisms to fully safeguard patient rights and provide safer and higher-quality medical services.