Hospital system of the Wuxi Hongqiao Hospital in East China's Jiangsu Province reveals the records of patients who have never undergone imaging examinations in the radiology department. Photo: Screenshot of China Central Television

Following a radiologist in Wuxi, East China's Jiangsu Province, who recently revealed that the hospital he worked for was suspected of falsifying medical records for people who had never undergone CT scans in order to conduct health insurance fraud, local officials confirmed on Tuesday that 15 people involved in the case had been subjected to criminal coercive measures.

The doctor from Wuxi Hongqiao Hospital, Zhu Chenggang, recently disclosed that the hospital system had seen the emergence of some patient records for people who have never undergone imaging examinations in the radiology department, reported CCTV.

Zhu said these people hadn't done a CT scan at the hospital and there was no image number linked to the records. However, the records contained diagnoses based on imaging. Zhu suspected that the hospital was involved in falsifying medical records to defraud medical insurance.

According to a statement from Wuxi Healthcare Security Bureau on Tuesday, the hospital's involvement in insurance fraud has been basically confirmed. The hospital's qualification as a designated hospital for health insurance has been revoked, and public security authority filed a criminal case regarding the matter on Sunday. 

A total of 15 people, including the hospital's legal representative and director, have been subjected to criminal coercive measures, and the private hospital is now closed.

The bureau announced on Sunday that it had initiated an investigation based on the reported clues and an administrative case had been filed for this incident on August 30. The bureau also conducted a comprehensive investigation in conjunction with other departments.

Additionally, Zhu found the hospital's system also revealed instances of patients undergoing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan within one minute of a previous MRI. Zhu noted that it usually takes at least 10-15 minutes for their machine to do an MRI for lumbar spine.

Global Times