Beyond Medical Skill: Why Indonesians Still Seek Treatment Abroad
The competence of Indonesian doctors is considered on par with medical professionals in other countries, yet public trust in seeking treatment domestically remains a significant challenge. During the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Indonesian Heart Association (ASMIHA) in 2026, it was revealed that the healthcare system and patient experience are the main reasons people still choose to seek medical care abroad.
Senior cardiologist and Chair of the Ethics Council of the Indonesian Cardiovascular Specialists Association (PERKI), Muhammad Munawar, asserted that the capabilities of domestic doctors are highly competitive. According to him, the main challenge now is rebuilding public trust in the medical profession and the national healthcare system.
“The key is trust. What the public needs is the quality and integrity of the doctors themselves,” Munawar stated on Thursday (16/7). He added that many hospitals in Indonesia actually meet international standards, but public perception has not fully aligned with this reality.
In agreement, the Secretary of the Directorate General of Advanced Health at the Ministry of Health, Sunarto, noted that patients’ decisions to seek treatment overseas are more influenced by their experience during service delivery. This includes the friendliness of healthcare workers, diagnostic accuracy, and the speed of administrative processes.
Sunarto acknowledged that comfort and efficiency remain challenges for the health system in the country. “Patient experience covers various aspects from the moment a patient arrives, ranging from administrative ease to the comfort of available facilities,” he explained.
In response to this situation, the Ministry of Health is undertaking a comprehensive transformation of healthcare services. The measures include digitalising services, improving health facilities, and simplifying bureaucratic procedures so that the public can have a better and more efficient treatment experience.
It is hoped that increasing public trust will reduce the number of people seeking treatment abroad. The proposed solutions include a two-pronged approach: maintaining the quality and professional ethics of medical personnel, while simultaneously improving the service system to be faster, more comfortable, and evenly distributed across all regions of Indonesia.