Overtreatment Risks Triggering Antibiotic Resistance, Healthcare Services Must Align with Clinical Needs
PT Medika Inovasi Nusantara, through its healthtech brand DokterIN, has introduced a Connected Care 360° approach as a strategic solution to address overtreatment. This move comes amid the threat of soaring medical inflation in Indonesia, which is projected to reach 17.8% by 2026, according to Marsh and Mercer Benefits Health Trends 2025 data.
DokterIN Director Yurid’ka Azkaa presented the solution to cross-sector stakeholders, including the Financial Services Authority (OJK), the Indonesian Ministry of Health, the Indonesian Life Insurance Association (AAJI), BPJS Kesehatan, as well as insurance and hospital industry players. Overtreatment is no longer merely a technical medical issue but a major contributor to the ballooning of national healthcare costs and insurance claims.
Industry data indicates that healthcare inefficiency and waste (overuse care) rank as the second highest concern for Asian insurers at 85%, just behind the burden of high-cost claims at 87%. In Indonesia, the trend of rising health claims is particularly significant in 2025.
AAJI Executive Director dr. Emira Oepangat revealed that potential fraud in health insurance could account for 0.6% to 15% of total financing. She stressed the importance of cost-sharing or co-payment schemes, which have been proven to reduce service utilisation by up to 8% by encouraging the public to be more prudent in accessing healthcare facilities.
Beyond the financial burden, overtreatment threatens patient safety. dr. Emira cited the case of a 15-month-old infant with symptoms of fever and a runny nose who was prescribed 15 different active ingredients at once. This practice starkly contrasts with approaches in developed countries like Australia or the United States, where rest and natural intake are prioritised over excessive chemical treatments for similar cases.
‘If we can start with telemedicine first, imagine how many claims we could save. People would start thinking, do I really need to go to the hospital for this?’ dr. Emira stated.
In response, DokterIN positions telemedicine not just as an online consultation channel but as a Smart Gate Keeper within an end-to-end ecosystem. Through its Connected Care 360° approach, DokterIN integrates seven service pillars. ‘The future of telemedicine is not measured by the number of consultations, but by its ability to control service quality, utilisation, and costs in an integrated manner,’ Yurid’ka Azkaa asserted.
In its two years of operation, DokterIN has partnered with more than 15 insurance companies and operates five white-label platforms. By shifting the model from merely treating disease to managing healthcare costs, DokterIN is optimistic it can sustain the insurance industry while providing safer and more efficient long-term health protection for the Indonesian public.