This job makes me feel valued by the patients

Wu Shuang, 35, part-time hospital companion in Beijing

I have accompanied various patients to hospitals in Beijing. There are college students who need a gastroscopy but whose parents are not around to help them, and young women who feel nervous about visiting a gynecologist because they lack knowledge. There are also those who want others to run errands for them to save time.

However, the majority of patients I meet are seniors, who cannot use smartphones or self-service machines in hospitals.

With the rapid development of the internet and smartphones, hospital systems have been updated constantly. Although the procedures in various hospitals are similar, there are many steps involved. For example, patients need to make appointments online, which can be difficult for outsiders to navigate. Especially nonlocals, who may have difficulty deciding which department and doctor they need.

Hospital registration platforms were introduced a few years ago. Now, when people visit large hospitals, they need to download an app or follow a WeChat public account to register, and they have to provide information about their medical insurance. In recent years, hospitals have developed their own registration apps or public accounts.

Many seniors find it too difficult to navigate these platforms.

In addition to registration, there are triage, payment, medication collection, appointments for examinations, and report-collection procedures. These steps have been automated in Beijing's hospitals for some time now.

Patients need to operate the self-service machine themselves. However, I often see seniors standing in front of it for a long time, asking people for help. Though hospitals have their own volunteers or consulting desks, they are always very busy due to the large number of patients.

Although we companions don't have any special registration or priority rights, as we help more patients our experience grows deeper. Whenever we provide useful information to patients or guide them in hospital procedures, I feel that we can help save their time and ease their anxiety. It makes me feel that I am valued.

One time, I accompanied a senior to check his thyroid nodules. The problem was discovered during a physical check, but he didn't pay much attention to it. Later, when he discovered that the nodules had grown and had become diseased, he went to the PLA General Hospital for a checkup.

That day, his child was not in Beijing, so he came with his wife. In the consulting room, the doctor told him that the Color Doppler Ultrasound result was category 5 thyroid nodules, indicating a high risk of cancer. When he came out, his eyes were already red. I couldn't help but feel sympathetic as I accompanied him like a family member.

I remember that when I comforted him, I was struggling not to cry and my voice choked up.

The income of a medical companion is not high. I work part-time on Zhao Haiwei's platform. Every time I accompany a patient for about half a day, I earn about 200 yuan ($29), far less than the income from my full-time job as a museum publicist.

However, since I came into contact with this industry, I have felt needed and valued, so I plan to continue helping people receive medical treatment in my free time.

My parents live in my hometown. If they got sick and I wasn't around, I would definitely arrange hospital companion services for them without hesitation if they were available. I think most young people feel the same way.

This is a highly promising industry. Hospital companions and companion platforms are emerging rapidly. However, the sector still needs standardization to allow it to better play its full role.

Wu Shuang spoke with Yan Dongjie.