Sina promises probe into Weibo hospital scalpers

Popular microblogging site Sina Weibo has confirmed it has launched an investigation into some accounts which claim to be affiliated to several hospitals in Beijing and can provide appointments for patients.

"Those accounts will be removed if confirmed to be illegally using a hospital's name," a Sina media officer told the Global Times Sunday.

Beijing Tongren Hospital posted on its official microblog Saturday that as many as 25 Web users were selling appointment tickets in its name, and has also warned patients not to believe those middlemen.

But scalpers' accounts for other Beijing top hospitals, such as Beijing Air Force General Hospital, Beijing Children's Hospital and the China-Japan Friendship Hospital, could still be found on Weibo Sunday.

One scalper, surnamed Cheng, told the Global Times they can get appointments for senior doctors at Peking Union Medical College Hospital a week ahead. The commission ranges from 300 yuan to 500 yuan ($48-80), depending on how hard it is to get the ticket, and the price will be higher if the doctor is popular.

Those who are willing to pay the commission fee say they will use this service, as it is so hard to see a top doctor in a Beijing hospital.

"I paid a scalper 350 yuan to see a doctor at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital," said Cao Yaqin, from Shanxi Province. "It took the scalper 10 days to get the ticket instead of three months," she said.

There are three official ways to get appointment tickets: to queue at the hospital, to book appointment tickets online via Beijing health bureau's system, or dial 114 for appointments, a registration department employee at Tongren Hospital confirmed.

An appointment ticket for an ordinary doctor is priced at 5 yuan, for a senior doctor it is 14 yuan and the price for senior specialists is 300 yuan, said an operator from Beijing Union Medical College Hospital.