Hospitals, doctors should try to understand needs of patients:
\nMinistry<\/p>\n
Dewi Santoso
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Cynthia finally had to make a trip to Singapore after endless
\ndisappointment with her local gynecologist at a hospital in South
\nJakarta who could not solve her nagging problems.<\/p>\n
"The main thing that makes some people, including me, seek
\nmedical treatment overseas is because of poor standard of health
\nservices here," the mother of two said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The 34-year-old housewife finally flew to Singapore to have
\nher ailment cured.<\/p>\n
"It was back in 2001, when I my problem began so I had it
\nchecked by a gynecologist in a hospital in South Jakarta. He said
\nthat it was only a minor infection caused by either germs or
\nbacteria. So, he just prescribed some standard antibiotics
\nwithout doing any tests in a laboratory," said Cynthia.<\/p>\n
After eight months, however, her ailment had not been cured.<\/p>\n
In Singapore, she was later told by a gynecologist there that
\nher problem was a result of an infection of her cervix and she
\nwas given a complete explanation on the cause and treatment of
\nher infection.<\/p>\n
"Doctors abroad give you the time, they sit down and talk with
\nyou. They can calm your anxiety," Cynthia told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
She said her doctors in Singapore also could be easily
\ncontacted with further questions.<\/p>\n
"Here, you can't even get their telephone numbers, and if you
\ndo, they usually aren't available when you call," she said.<\/p>\n
Cynthia is not the only one who thinks that Indonesia's health
\nservices are far from adequate.<\/p>\n
Recently, the Health Ministry's medical services director
\nHardiman said that many Indonesians preferred medical treatment
\noverseas because of unsatisfactory care at home.<\/p>\n
He estimated that the amount of money spent by Indonesians
\nseeking treatment overseas was approximately US$300 million each
\nyear.<\/p>\n
To keep that money in this country, Hardiman had some novel
\nideas for improvement, when he suggested that all patients be
\ngiven the opportunity to choose their own doctors. He also
\nsuggested that hospital administrators and doctors should try to
\nunderstand the needs of their patients.<\/p>\n
David, a resident of Bogor, West Java, recalled the time when
\nhe had to have a tumor removed.<\/p>\n
"I went to a hospital in North Jakarta, and the doctor told me
\nthat I'd have to spend five days in the hospital," he said. David
\nthen decided to fly to Singapore to for a second opinion.<\/p>\n
"Guess what, the doctor at the hospital there told me that I
\nonly had to spend one day in the hospital," he said.<\/p>\n
When it comes to staying healthy, the cost is not the main
\nconcern for people like Cynthia and David and thousands of other
\nIndonesians, who can afford to go overseas. They will say that
\nthe services were well worth the costs incurred.<\/p>\n
"I paid Rp 85,000 (US$10) for a consultation fee here, whereas
\nin Singapore, I paid US$95. But I got what I paid for --
\nexcellent service," said Cynthia.<\/p>\n
David said the same thing: "It might be a bit more expensive,
\nbut I didn't have to spend four useless days in a hospital."<\/p>\n
Distrust is another major concern that causes people like
\nCynthia and David to seek treatment overseas.<\/p>\n
"Doctors here are irresponsible, and yet, if they commit
\nmalpractice, I couldn't sue them because of the dubious justice
\nsystem here," Cynthia said.<\/p>\n
According to Marius Widjajarta of the Indonesian Health
\nConsumer Empowerment Foundation (YPKKI), the absence of a
\nprofessionalism and willingness by medical people and hospitals
\nto tolerate substandard medical care was the main cause of poor
\nstate of the medical system in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
"With little or no understanding of medical and professional
\nethics, malpractice suits cannot be proven because they is no
\nmeasuring stick," said Marius, who is also a physician at St.
\nCarolus Hospital in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
He added that Indonesia needed to pass more government
\nregulations to set basic ethical standards for doctors and
\nhospitals in order to win trust of the people.<\/p>\n
Until the government regulations come into effect, thousands
\nlike Cynthia and David will continue to go overseas for better
\nmedical care.<\/p>",
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