In an online petition started after the bloody ordeal, some 600,000 Chinese physicians called for an end to what has become common in China’s underfunded and overcrowded hospitals: attacks on doctors.

In a scene of chaos partially captured by surveillance cameras at Longmen County People’s Hospital and widely reported in state-backed press, the alleged assailant, surnamed Liao, slashed her legs and arms, deeply cutting her hand. He chased her through crowded corridors until he was subdued.

BEIJING — Dr. Ou Lizhi was making her morning rounds last week when a patient approached and demanded treatment. When she could not immediately help, he pulled a knife.


Reports of disgruntled patients wreaking havoc in hospitals are alarmingly common, from the story of the ear, nose, and throat specialist stabbed to death on duty, to photos of mob scenes at clinic gates.

Though violence against medical staff is not new, several studies suggest the problem is widespread — and may be getting worse.

This May, the Chinese Medical Doctor Association reported that 13 percent of 12,600 doctors surveyed said they were physically assaulted in the last year. Chinese state media reported 12 incidents this June.

A report by the China Hospital Management Association found that, between 2002 and 2012, attacks on medical personnel jumped an average of 23 percent each year. In 2012, that meant an estimated 27 assaults per hospital.

Patient-on-doctor violence is a symptom of a health system in crisis, experts say.

Thanks to an ambitious set of reforms launched in 2009, most Chinese have some form of public health insurance. But coverage is spotty, and hospitals still struggle to meet the demand for decent care at an affordable price; patients complain about days-long waits, shoddy service, and bills that bankrupt entire families.

Doctors are also aggrieved. While American physicians are generally well-compensated, Chinese doctors are considered civil servants and often paid a pittance compared to private sector wages. With lines snaking through hospital hallways, the pressure to treat ever-greater numbers is enormous.