"Our charges here are transparent and fair. For a minor cold like yours, you usually recover with two infusions. The cost for one session is about eighty yuan, and it definitely won't exceed a hundred. As for the effect, you can rest assured; all patients who have had infusions here say it's good."
Tang Ping saw that the patient was still a bit hesitant and continued.
"Seeing it's your first time at our Sunshine Clinic, I'll give you a special price. One infusion is just 75 yuan, with the best medication guaranteed. But once you recover, you'll have to help us with some free publicity."
The patient, upon hearing a five-yuan discount per session, showed a slight smile.
"Alright, I'll try one infusion then! You better give me the best medicine!"
The patient was successfully retained by Tang Ping.
"No problem, you can rest easy. We're counting on your recovery to help us spread the word, so we'll definitely use the best medicine for you."
She led the patient into the infusion room.
Upon exiting, Li Jingsheng was already preparing the medication for the patient.
With proficient-level skills in pharmacology and pharmacokinetics, he handled the medication preparation smoothly, clearly at a different level than before.
The main symptoms of the patient were headache, fever, fatigue, and slight wheezing.
Li Jingsheng diagnosed it as a viral infection.
Since the symptoms were mild and the patient, in his fifties, was in the prime of health, there was no need to use antibiotics.
He devised a treatment plan of hydration, bronchodilation, and pain relief for the patient.
Cold medications for oral use could reduce fever and alleviate pain.
Glucose solution was the preferred hydration medication, as it not only rehydrates but also provides some nutritional support for the patient. Cold sufferers often have poor appetites, and a 500ml bag of glucose solution can help restore the patient's physical strength quickly.
The cost price of glucose injection is also low, with the cost for 5% 500ml being just a few yuan.
This patient did not experience tissue dehydration, and a 5% glucose injection was sufficient. If severe tissue dehydration occurs, a hypertonic 50% glucose solution would be needed, which is more expensive.
His small clinic could never encounter such critically ill patients.
There was never any consideration to stock 50% glucose solution.
With hydration, fever reduction, and pain relief addressed, the only remaining aspect was deciding on the bronchodilator.
Which medication would be best?
Pulmonary Medicine diagnosis was his strength, but medication use was his weakness.
Of course, that was in the past.
Now his pharmacology skills had improved to a proficient level, and after quickly evaluating the patient's age, gender, physical condition, and cause, he immediately came up with a medication plan.
Aminophylline.
This medication was perfectly suited for bronchodilation and cough suppression.
With proficient-level pharmacokinetics, he could fully consider the method and dosage of medication when choosing this drug.
Aminophylline is generally not suitable for intravenous injection alone, as it can easily cause problems. It's best administered via intravenous drip alongside glucose injection.
In the past, Li Jingsheng was cautious and timid, not daring to use these medications.
Mainly fearing something might go wrong.
Now he had full confidence.
He was also eager to test the clinical effects of proficient pharmacology and pharmacokinetics.
"Can't you be a bit more patient-focused?"
After he prepared the medication, Tang Ping couldn't help but complain in a low voice.
Owed three months of salary, she never once asked for it, nor complained.
Every time she saw Li Jingsheng push patients away, missing out on money, she'd grumble a bit.
Sometimes only one patient would come in a day, and even they got turned away, really a pity.
Upon leaving, patients wouldn't feel grateful at all and would just head to another clinic, receiving treatment as usual.
They'd later even curse Sunshine Clinic for its lousy medical skills and poor service attitude.
"I... just can't get past my conscience!"
Li Jingsheng showed a slight bitter smile.
It wasn't that he was inflexible, but that he had his principles.
Ill-gotten gains never feel secure.
"The medication is ready. This one's for oral use, and that bottle is for direct intravenous drip."
Receiving the prepared medication, she looked at the list and smiled slightly.
The boss still upheld his principles. The infusion only contained glucose and aminophylline, without antibiotics. The two free cold tablets given to the patient were the real effective medicine.
It was also a helpless form of adaptation.
The misuse of antibiotics not only damages the patient's immune system but also, when facing truly life-threatening illnesses that require antibiotics, leaves them with no drug to rely on.
It basically amounts to waiting for death.
It was because of such severe consequences that Li Jingsheng would rather lose patients than earn such money.
After Tang Ping entered the infusion room with the medication, their conversation could quickly be heard.
"Does your medication even work? At Quick Recovery Clinic, I never needed to take extra medicines."
"Just rest assured! Our clinic's medications share the same source as those from big hospitals, so not only are they effective, but they're also safe."
"Alright then, hurry up with the infusion. I still have to cook for my employer tonight!"
...
Hearing this, Li Jingsheng smiled slightly.
"You've successfully treated a level-one cold disease, with an effectiveness increase of +0.1, and gained +1 life value."
He was momentarily stunned, then had a moment of realization.
It should be that the medication he prescribed to the patient was beginning to take effect.
Gaining another 1 life value made him highly encouraged. It seemed he could gain life value through treating patients.
Having 1 life value left from last time, plus the newly earned 1, he now had 2 life values.
Could he upgrade a medical skill?
He focused on skills, with "Ligature and Hemostasis Beginner 8.5/10" and "Square Knot Beginner 8.2/10".
Both of these surgical skills required only 2 points to advance to the next level.
Which one should be upgraded first?
Among various tying techniques, he only mastered the square knot and slip knot, the most common ones. Moreover, the knots tied were not very secure and didn't fit tightly with the tissue.
Ligature and hemostasis also required surgical knot tying.
After a brief contemplation, Li Jingsheng decided to first enhance his square knot skill.
Good steel should be used on the blade.
He decisively invested the only 2 life points into the square knot skill.
Square Knot Proficiency 10.2/100.
This surgical skill, practiced diligently for years, which remained at the beginner level, instantly advanced to proficiency at this moment.
He could feel his knot tying ability significantly improved.
He tried finding a thread and used tweezers to tie a square knot.
He used the double-handed technique for knot tying.
Because he still lacked the ability for single-handed knot tying.
A square knot was quickly tied, and looking at the stopwatch, it took only five seconds.
Previously, tying a square knot would at least take eight to nine seconds.
Speed almost doubled.
Moreover, the tied square knot seemed very secure.
Is this the proficiency level of square knot tying?
Li Jingsheng couldn't help but feel a burst of excitement. At this moment, he truly felt the adage "a majestic dragon is not a thing of the pond; a single encounter with the winds and clouds, it transforms into a dragon."
This suddenly emerging attribute panel was the winds and clouds that allowed him to become the dragon.
After enhancing his square knot skill, he longed for an immediate opportunity to practice. Unfortunately, his small clinic had meager business, seeing only one or two patients a day. Trauma patients were even rarer, perhaps only one or two in a month.
He suppressed the itch for practice and waited patiently for an opportunity.
Only by enduring the loneliness can one patiently await the day when flowers bloom.