IDI pushes for board to regulate doctors
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)