key: cord-0683902-4jlugkc6
authors: Chen, Juan; Zhou, Meng-Yun; Liu, Qiaoyong; Ye, Lan; Cheng, Yong-ran; Wang, Ming-Wei; Feng, Zhan-hui
title: High time for ease the doctor-patient relationship in China
date: 2020-04-11
journal: J Forensic Leg Med
DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2020.101961
sha: 0b7f63bc68c410beb4402bcf2c1f2145fd10c592
doc_id: 683902
cord_uid: 4jlugkc6

As doctors, we find it disturbing to read the paper “Burnout in physicians who are exposed to workplace violence” (January 2020).(1) Workplace violence experienced by doctors has been documented both in developed and developing countries. Reports show that Chinese medical professionals are being injured, disabled, or even killed by patients or their family members.(2,3) The killing of a doctor in Beijing in 2019 attracted national attention. China's top legislative body has approved the first fundamental and comprehensive law to protect health-care professionals. The bill will take effect on June 1, 2020. However, the law alone will not solve the problem. We need to treat it from the root and address the issues that have led to this health-care-related violence. A multi-faceted action must be launched to reduce violence against doctors in China urgently.

As doctors, we find it disturbing to read the paper "Burnout in physicians who are exposed to workplace violence" (January 2020). 1 Workplace violence experienced by doctors has been documented both in developed and developing countries. Reports show that Chinese medical professionals are being injured, disabled, or even killed by patients or their family members. 2, 3 The killing of a doctor in Beijing in 2019 attracted national attention. China's top legislative body has approved the first fundamental and comprehensive law to protect health-care professionals. The bill will take effect on June 1, 2020. However, the law alone will not solve the problem. We need to treat it from the root and address the issues that have led to this health-care-related violence. 

Burnout in physicians who are exposed to workplace violence

Appeal from Chinese doctors to end violence

Chinese doctors are under threat

The Lancet. China's health-care reform: an independent evaluation

A gloomy future for medical students in China

We are grateful to the medical staff working at the front-line, fighting against the SARS-CoV-2. We pay our respect to them.We declare that we have no conflict of interests.

None.