Fri, 14 Jul 2000

Most Indonesian hospitals only give standard services

JAKARTA (JP): Most Indonesian hospitals are only able to provide standard services while complementary, but important, facilities, such as counseling and the supply of pharmaceuticals and medication, are not commonly found on the market.

Data compiled by the Ministry of Health's Committee of Hospital Accreditation (KARS) show that due to limited financial, technical and human resources only the five standard services -- hospital management, medical service, nursery service, emergency service and medical record administration -- can be adequately provided.

According to KARS, in a recent survey of 317 hospitals, only seven met the higher quality standard of providing 12 health services.

These 12 services are the five basic facilities listed above along with: pharmacy facilities, laboratory facilities, radiology facilities, high risk prenatal services including care for high risk births, occupational health and safety services, a central surgical service, and nosological services for the infections that patients may get while they are hospitalized.

Out of the seven hospitals which have received accreditation for these 12 facilities as audited by KARS, three are in Jakarta: MMC Hospital in Kuningan, South Jakarta; Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital in Senen, Central Jakarta and Mitra Keluarga Hospital in Jatinegara, East Jakarta.

The four other accredited hospitals are Banyumas General Hospital, Central Java; Telogorejo Hospital in Semarang, Central Java; Sidoarjo Hospital, East Java and Sanglah Hospital in Bali.

"All the hospitals were given a three-year certificate of accreditation, except the Bali hospital which only got a one-year conditional certificate," Luki Hartanti, a director of the KARS' special hospital unit, told The Jakarta Post.

That means the Bali hospital has to improve its performance otherwise the certificate will be withdrawn. That also goes for the other six if they are unable to maintain their quality over three years.

The accreditation process officially started in 1995 with 101 surveyors all over Indonesia. There are a total of 1,112 hospitals in the country.

"So far, we have only been able to survey 317 hospitals. Those in Southeast Sulawesi, Irian Jaya and Maluku have yet to even be audited," Luki said.

Aside from the seven hospitals mentioned earlier, 266 others have received three-year certification for the five basic services, while 25 received conditional certification.

"Nineteen hospitals didn't even pass the five service standards," she said.

Hospitals in Indonesia are divided into 601 state-run hospitals and 511 private hospitals. Of the 601 state-run hospitals, 113 are military hospitals while the rest are operated by state-companies. (09)