Patients often encounter significant hurdles when trying to secure appointments at hospitals, particularly as “ticket scalpers” exploit the system by illegally monopolizing appointment slots and reselling them at inflated rates. In a bid to cleanse the healthcare system and safeguard patients’ rights, the Beijing Haidian police have taken decisive action, leading to the criminal detention of 33 individuals involved in this scheme and the seizure of over 400 devices, including mobile phones and computers used in the operations. Additionally, three trafficking hubs were dismantled.

Recently, the Haidian police observed that multiple hospitals in their area were showing “fully booked” statuses for appointments with popular specialists for an extended period. In online chat groups, individuals were noted selling these scarce slots for prices that ranged from hundreds to thousands of yuan. In response, the police assembled a skilled task force to launch an investigation.

Their inquiries revealed that these scalpers were employing automated software to secure appointment slots and then marketing this information to potential customers at exorbitant prices. After extensive surveillance and evidence collection, investigators were able to identify the culprits and their methods. On the morning of September 12, raids were coordinated in Beijing and several other provinces.

During the operation, officers confiscated a multitude of devices used by the suspects, such as smartphones and tablets outfitted with the automated software. Screens at these locations displayed hospital appointment pages refreshing at an extraordinary rate, effectively clicking nearly a hundred times per second—an ability far beyond that of an average patient trying to book an appointment.

Currently, the Beijing Haidian police have detained 33 individuals, including a suspect named Jiang, and have notified relevant authorities about the identified healthcare issues to work toward improving the appointment system.

The malicious exploitation of valuable medical resources not only severely undermines patients’ legitimate rights but also disrupts the normal functioning of healthcare services. The police are urging the public to report any suspicious illegal activities to help foster a fair, equitable, and orderly healthcare environment.