IDI pushes for board to regulate doctors

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) plan to form a formal medical council board to control and supervise the practice of its members.

The board will be responsible in overseeing doctors strictly adhere to the code of ethics enshrined by the profession.

While no date has been set to establish the board, the association has set up a working committee to initiate the groundwork for its establishment.

"Realizing that violations by doctors have increased both in quality and quantity, the formation of the board will be very necessary to maintain and uphold Indonesian doctors' image," Sjamsuhidajat, a member of the working committee, said during a gathering of the association's members on Saturday.

Since October last year, media reports have cited no less than 30 complaints sent to the association. The complaints ranged from unsatisfactory service and accusations of unprofessional medical practice to malpractice and even bogus medical doctors.

Under the doctors's code of ethics, violations of the code could be subject to Rp 100 million in fines and the revocation of a medical license.

The new board to be formed will be done so through a legal procedure which will allow it to conduct the registration of doctors and hand down penalties to those in violation of the code of ethics.

The association currently has a special council called the Honorary Council of Doctors' Code of Ethics. However, it does not have legal protection from countersuits if the doctors in question decide to file a countersuit against the council.

The council also does not have the authority to register doctors or specialists, or demand information on their educational background.

"We cannot even demand that doctors in the country register with IDI," Sjamsuhidajat said.

He defended the need to register doctors under the association in order to prevent phony doctors.

This way the board can issue an annual list of registered doctors which can inform the general public and protect them from bogus medical services.

There are 31,887 doctors, including specialists, in service, according to the latest data issued by the Central Bureau of Statistics.

"The new board should also have a legitimate authority to control the issuing of doctors' licenses here for those who earn their degree abroad, along with accrediting medical schools across the country," Sjamsuhidajat added.

Another expected responsibility of the board would be verifying and issuing permits for the use of new medical technology.

Head of the Jakarta branch of the association, Agus Purwadianto, supported Syamsuhidajat's work in forming the board.

"The board should be formed under law so it will have the legitimate power to follow up public complaints and hand out punishment," he said. (04)