The Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) of Tanjungpinang City is urging the Raja Ahmad Thabib (RAT) Regional General Hospital of the Riau Islands Province to strengthen the transparency of healthcare service information. This step is considered crucial to dispel negative perceptions and ensure the public, especially BPJS Kesehatan participants, obtain a complete understanding of the facilities and conveniences available.
The urge was conveyed by the Chairman of PWI Tanjungpinang, Suhardi, during the 2026 Public Consultation Forum (FKP) held on Friday (31/7/2026). He emphasized that physical development, such as the planned construction of a new specialist polyclinic building, must be balanced with public information access that is transparent and easily accessible to patients.
Responding to this, the Director of RSUD RAT, dr. Bambang Utoyo, expressed his commitment to improving services through the construction of an integrated polyclinic building, scheduled to begin in September 2026. The project, targeted to operate in early 2028, is designed to centralize all specialist doctor services for the convenience of patients.
On the other hand, the issues of patient overcrowding and administrative hurdles remain outstanding tasks. The Secretary of Commission IV of the Riau Islands Regional House of Representatives (DPRD Kepri), Boby Jayanto, stated that his office still frequently receives complaints from residents regarding the quality of hospital services, meaning that quality improvement must continue to be prioritized.
In addition to service input, a proposal for preserving local culture also emerged during the forum. One of the participants, Nazaruddin, suggested that the management of RSUD RAT immortalize the names of Malay figures as the names of treatment wards, in line with the cultural identity reflected in the hospital's own name.
