INTERVIEWER: Dr. Xu, you recently received a message in your “Jiulong Pain Treatment” group about a patient who has been dealing with lower back pain for five years. What was your first reaction?

DR. XU: I advised them to check for the lumbar four items I previously taught. I recognized that the main issue was the worsening pain during side bending. I stressed the importance of focusing on the abdominal oblique muscles and recommended using myofascial release techniques.

INTERVIEWER: It sounds like you remain closely engaged with your colleagues even after returning from your medical assistance work in Sichuan. Could you elaborate on your experience and the philosophy driving this kind of medical support?

DR. XU: Certainly. Medical assistance is not merely a one-time effort. When we are on the ground, we give everything we have. True success comes from leaving behind skills that will benefit the local community well after we depart.

INTERVIEWER: What inspired you to travel over 2,000 kilometers from Hangzhou to Jiulong County to embark on your medical assistance journey?

DR. XU: In February 2023, I arrived at the local hospital in Jiulong for a year-and-a-half deployment. My aim was to gain a deep understanding of the healthcare needs of the local population, immersing myself in the community like a seed planted in fertile soil.

INTERVIEWER: What challenges did you encounter in the healthcare of residents in the highland region?

DR. XU: I observed that many residents suffer from pain-related conditions like arthritis, largely due to the unique weather. However, they often delay seeking help until their pain severely affects their daily lives. My mission was to bring visibility to their pain through effective treatment.

INTERVIEWER: Reflecting on your first week, how quickly did you adapt to the new environment while treating patients?

DR. XU: Within the first week, despite still acclimating to the altitude, I developed personalized anesthesia plans for 15 patients. Through a collaborative effort with the local surgical team, we successfully completed all 15 surgeries, earning recognition for the anesthesia techniques I introduced from Hangzhou.

INTERVIEWER: Your contributions seem to have made a significant impact. How many surgeries have you participated in since starting?

DR. XU: Over the past year, I’ve been involved in anesthesia management and surgical support for more than 600 procedures, significantly improving the success rate for critically ill patients at the local hospital.

INTERVIEWER: Outside of the operating room, how have you reached out to the broader community?

DR. XU: I’ve organized free clinics throughout Jiulong County. For instance, a patient named Lisa traveled over 300 kilometers for my consultation. After a course of treatment, her chronic shoulder pain finally resolved. She now relies on me for all her health concerns, reflecting the invaluable relationship between a patient and a doctor.

INTERVIEWER: With an increasing number of patients seeking your help, did you consider expanding your team?

DR. XU: Yes, by June 2023, with the backing of the local hospital, I established the first Multidisciplinary Pain Treatment clinic in Jiulong County. Local doctors have transitioned from observers to proficient practitioners of new techniques, demonstrating remarkable growth.

INTERVIEWER: In March 2024, you took your expertise to the health clinic in Yanda Town. What motivated you to continue your work at this grassroots level?

DR. XU: I wanted to ensure that more local residents had their pain acknowledged and treated. Establishing a specialized clinic was a crucial step toward changing the health perceptions within the community.

INTERVIEWER: How did residents respond to this new pain management service?

DR. XU: Within a week, the clinic was thriving, welcoming over 30 patients daily from various areas. One patient, Danzen, suffered from severe pain due to shingles. After just one treatment session with me, his pain disappeared, and he couldn’t stop praising the care he received.

INTERVIEWER: Given your dedication over the past year and a half, what outcomes have you and your team achieved in treating patients?

DR. XU: We’ve treated over 7,300 patients experiencing pain. Our team introduced six new anesthetic techniques and 18 innovative pain treatment methods that specifically address common issues faced by the local population.

INTERVIEWER: It sounds like there’s been a significant transformation in local healthcare under your mentorship.

DR. XU: Yes, the young doctors at Jiulong County People’s Hospital and Yanda Town Health Clinic have become proficient in 15 techniques, greatly addressing the local gap in anesthesia and pain management.

INTERVIEWER: How does it feel to see your initiatives recognized at a higher level?

DR. XU: The “MDT Pain Treatment” project has been selected by the Sichuan government as one of the key initiatives for rural revitalization, making it the only project from Jiulong County to receive such an honor.

INTERVIEWER: Now that your mission in Sichuan has concluded, how do you reflect on your experiences there?

DR. XU: I often think about the genuine faces of the highland residents and the commitment of local doctors working tirelessly to improve the health of their communities.

INTERVIEWER: It seems that your work has truly left a lasting impact on the region.

DR. XU: Yes, the number of outpatients at both the local hospital and the health clinic continues to rise, as the medical concepts and techniques from the East have genuinely taken root. This seed, planted from afar, is starting to blossom and bear fruit in this vast land.