Hospitals told patients need better treatment
Dewi Santoso, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Cynthia finally had to make a trip to Singapore after endless disappointment with her local gynecologist at a hospital in South Jakarta who could not solve her nagging problems.
"The main thing that makes some people, including me, seek medical treatment overseas is because of poor standard of health services here," the mother of two said on Tuesday.
The 34-year-old housewife finally flew to Singapore to have her ailment cured.
"It was back in 2001, when I my problem began so I had it checked by a gynecologist in a hospital in South Jakarta. He said that it was only a minor infection caused by either germs or bacteria. So, he just prescribed some standard antibiotics without doing any tests in a laboratory," said Cynthia.
After eight months, however, her ailment had not been cured.
In Singapore, she was later told by a gynecologist there that her problem was a result of an infection of her cervix and she was given a complete explanation on the cause and treatment of her infection.
"Doctors abroad give you the time, they sit down and talk with you. They can calm your anxiety," Cynthia told The Jakarta Post.
She said her doctors in Singapore also could be easily contacted with further questions.
"Here, you can't even get their telephone numbers, and if you do, they usually aren't available when you call," she said.
Cynthia is not the only one who thinks that Indonesia's health services are far from adequate.
Recently, the Health Ministry's medical services director Hardiman said that many Indonesians preferred medical treatment overseas because of unsatisfactory care at home.
He estimated that the amount of money spent by Indonesians seeking treatment overseas was approximately US$300 million each year.
To keep that money in this country, Hardiman had some novel ideas for improvement, when he suggested that all patients be given the opportunity to choose their own doctors. He also suggested that hospital administrators and doctors should try to understand the needs of their patients.
David, a resident of Bogor, West Java, recalled the time when he had to have a tumor removed.
"I went to a hospital in North Jakarta, and the doctor told me that I'd have to spend five days in the hospital," he said. David then decided to fly to Singapore to for a second opinion.
"Guess what, the doctor at the hospital there told me that I only had to spend one day in the hospital," he said.
When it comes to staying healthy, the cost is not the main concern for people like Cynthia and David and thousands of other Indonesians, who can afford to go overseas. They will say that the services were well worth the costs incurred.
"I paid Rp 85,000 (US$10) for a consultation fee here, whereas in Singapore, I paid US$95. But I got what I paid for -- excellent service," said Cynthia.
David said the same thing: "It might be a bit more expensive, but I didn't have to spend four useless days in a hospital."
Distrust is another major concern that causes people like Cynthia and David to seek treatment overseas.
"Doctors here are irresponsible, and yet, if they commit malpractice, I couldn't sue them because of the dubious justice system here," Cynthia said.
According to Marius Widjajarta of the Indonesian Health Consumer Empowerment Foundation (YPKKI), the absence of a professionalism and willingness by medical people and hospitals to tolerate substandard medical care was the main cause of poor state of the medical system in Indonesia.
"With little or no understanding of medical and professional ethics, malpractice suits cannot be proven because they is no measuring stick," said Marius, who is also a physician at St. Carolus Hospital in Central Jakarta.
He added that Indonesia needed to pass more government regulations to set basic ethical standards for doctors and hospitals in order to win trust of the people.
Until the government regulations come into effect, thousands like Cynthia and David will continue to go overseas for better medical care.