The phenomenon of Indonesian citizens (WNI) traveling abroad for medical services continues to show a significant upward trend every year. Although often considered a consequence of limited domestic medical technology, healthcare administration expert from the Faculty of Medicine, Andalas University (UNAND), Prof. Rima Semiarty, emphasizes that the root of the problem is far more complex, relating to a public crisis of confidence in the country's healthcare system.
According to Prof. Rima, patients' decisions to fly to neighboring countries like Singapore or Malaysia are heavily influenced by their perception of the experience during care. The quality of communication, transparency of procedures, certainty of service, and ease of access are crucial indicators that are often not optimally met in domestic hospitals. This gap in non-medical aspects is what triggers public dissatisfaction, resulting in a massive loss of national foreign exchange.
Research conducted by Prof. Rima maps out at least five main obstacles hindering the national healthcare system. These range from suboptimal communication patterns of medical personnel, unequal distribution of specialist doctors, to a lack of integration across the entire healthcare service ecosystem. A hospital organizational culture that is not yet fully oriented toward patient comfort is considered a major inhibiting factor in building public loyalty.
To address these challenges, Prof. Rima emphasizes the importance of a transformation toward patient-centered care. She urges hospital management to immediately improve operational standards by prioritizing humanism, speed, and information transparency as the main pillars of service.
Additionally, cross-sector collaboration involving the government, universities, professional organizations, and business players is absolutely necessary. This strategic step is expected to serve as momentum for hospitals in Indonesia to regain public trust, ensuring that the national healthcare service is not only medically competent but also capable of meeting the expectations of citizens at home.
