Many wealthy Indonesians spend trillions of rupiah each year on medical treatment abroad, such as in Singapore, Malaysia, United States, Australia and Germany, despite the fact that Indonesia has some 1,800 hospitals.
It seems that for many upper-class Indonesians, the country`s medical services are not satisfactory enough, so they seek medical treatment in foreign world-class hospitals.
Their decision is partly understandable, given that only five out of these 1,800 hospitals in Indonesia are internationally accredited, and all five are privately-owned.
In February, Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih said that 65 to 66 percent of the country`s 1,800 hospitals were nationally accredited, and of the total number, one-third were privately owned. She provided these figures during her opening remarks before the Indonesian Professional Medical Recorders Association (PORMIKI) in Pontianak, West Kalimanan.
No public or state-owned hospitals have yet to be internationally accredited because they had not met the required standards for quality, including in medical record services, she said.
But the health ministry is now preparing seven state-owned hospitals to qualify for international accreditation.
"We are honing them for international accreditation," she said.
The minister said maintaining medical records is a very important part of hospital services and one of the requirements to be internationally accredited.
The seven state-owned A-class hospitals expected to receive international accreditation by 2014 are Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (Jakarta), Sanglah Hospital (Denpasar, Bali), dr. Sardjito Hospital (Yogyakarta), Fatmawati Hospital (Jakarta), H. Adam Malik (Medan, North Sumatra), dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo (Makassar, South Sulawesi), and the Central Army Gatot Subroto Hospital (Jakarta).
The health ministry`s Director General of Health Development, Supriyantoro, said in Jakarta in early March, on the sidelines of a workshop on International-Standard Hospital Accreditation, that in the health ministry`s strategic plan 2010-2014, one of the indicators that have to be met is at least five cities must have world-class hospitals.
"Hopefully, two hospitals will be internationally accredited by JCI in late 2012 and five more hospitals in 2013," he said.
In the second phase, the government hopes that international accreditation will also be received by Kariadi Hospital in Semarang (Central Java), Hasan Sadikin Hospital in Bandung (West Java), Jantung Harapan Kita in Jakarta, Harapan Kita infant and maternal hospital in Jakarta, Persahabatan in Jakarta, and dr. Mohammad Hoesin in Palembang (South Sumatra).
The Joint Commission International (JCI) will judge the hospitals based upon, among other criteria, patient-centered services, with the safety of patients being a main criteria in the judgment.
"This accreditation will add benefits to hospital services. The patient safety procedure will include more details, such as concerning hand washing. After receiving accreditation, even security personnel must know how to wash their hands properly," he said.
One of the challenges in implementing the international standard procedures is to change the mindset of hospital personnel, he said.
In May 2010, Minister Sedyaningsih inaugurated a new building housing a world-class private health service unit at the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital (RSCM) complex, named the RSCM Kencana Integrated Service Unit.
The newly integrated and improved medical service unit is expected to attract patients who have previously sought medical treatment abroad, she said.
"According to Singapore`s National Health Group survey, around 50 percent of foreign patients seeking medical services in Singapore are Indonesians, or roughly 12,000 people annually," the minister said.
RSCM President Director Akmal Taher also confirmed that the state-owned general hospitals private services are targeting those seeking medical services abroad.
The new units have inpatient VIP and Presidential Suite rooms, offer health service clusters, general medical checkups, in-vitro fertilization procedures, treatment of tumors, integrated breast clinic, aesthetic services, rehabilitation services, dental services, eye care center, and neuroscience services.
"Services in all clusters are given in integrated ways by teams, and there is no departmental service," he said.
Also, several RSCM services, such as the Cardiology Unit, Perinatal Unit, and Radiotherapy Unit, have acquired ISO 9001 Certificates.
Of note, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono expressed his concern in July 2011 about the flow of wealthy Indonesians who seek medical treatment overseas.
He therefore emphasized the importance of a partnership between the government, the private sector and universities to develop modern hospitals providing higher levels of medical care to stem the tide of rich Indonesians who seek medical services overseas.
"If our people go abroad to seek medical help every chance they get, those countries will receive the benefit, not us, but unfortunately we cannot stop them from doing so," Yudhoyono said.
"We should be able to provide hospitals with beautiful environments that will complement the capable doctors and high-tech medical equipment," he said when speaking at the launch of the first private cancer hospital in Indonesia, the Mochtar Riady Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Earlier in May, Yudhoyono also expressed his concern that many middle- and high-income Indonesians choose to go elsewhere in Southeast Asia for treatment.
Indonesia needs more internationally accredited hospitals to stop the flow of patients to such countries as Singapore and Malaysia, he said, adding that he always receives medical services at local hospitals.
"We need to boost the capacity of the country`s health care providers," he said at a National Health Development seminar in Jakarta in May, hosted by the University of Indonesia`s School of Medicine.
The Indonesian government enacted Law No. 44 of 2009 on Hospitals in October 2009, noting that there was an increasing need for improved healthcare and medical services throughout the country, which includes servicing the growing population of approximately 237 million people, with a growth rate of approximately 1.12% per year.
(T.F001/INE)
Reporter: by Fardah
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
