Hospital releases patient after he promises to pay medical bills

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

Leonardus Pieter Herklos, 50, returned home on Thursday, two days after his wife reported the Siloam Gleneagles Hospital in Karawaci, Tangerang, where he was hospitalized, to the Jakarta Police for allegedly holding him "hostage" until payment was made.

The hospital's public relations manager Puspita Zorawar told The Jakarta Post on Friday that the hospital allowed Leonardus to return home after he had signed a statement saying that he would pay his hospital bills when he was financially in position to do so.

She claimed the hospital had given the Leonardus the best possible treatment, "but he then placed us in difficult position when he was ready to go home, but said he could not afford the hospital bill."

Puspita added that although the patient had been held at the hospital since being pronounced healthy enough to go home on Sept. 3, the hospital had not charged for his stay there from Sept. 16 until he was released on Thursday.

Accompanied by Iskandar Sitorus of the Health Legal Aid Institute, Leonardus' wife, Lenny Francisca, 50, told the police that the hospital refused to release her husband until the Rp 50 million (US$5,434) hospital bill was paid.

She said Leonardus, a driver, had been brought to hospital on Aug. 16 with respiratory problems. Doctors performed a gastroenterostomy a week later without Lenny's consent. After five hours of surgery, the doctors found the problem was a burst abscess on his liver.

Siloam Hospital president director Jessy Quantero has denied the hospital held Leonardus "hostage", and said that the family had agreed to pay all its medical fees, which he said had been discounted.

On Friday, a hospital management expert, Herkutanto, met with the Siloam Hospital management to discuss the issue.

"It's not cheap if you get sick in Indonesia as there are no state subsidies for healthcare. This issue often gives rise to disputes between hospitals and patients.

"The government should provide designated hospitals for poor patients. In other countries, the government even pays for treatment given in emergencies," Herkutanto explained.

He also suggested that the public find alternative means of paying their medical bills, such as seeking help from charitable organizations.