INDONESIA: Indonesia currently faces a significant shortage of medical specialists. An additional 29,000 specialists are estimated to be needed to meet the country’s healthcare needs. However, local medical institutions can only train 2,700 new specialists annually, a far cry from what’s required. This shortage has been an ongoing issue for several years, and projections suggest Indonesia will take over a decade to close this gap. By then, the expanding population will likely increase the demand for even more specialists.
The growing gap in specialist care
According to a recent report from Business Times, this gap in healthcare provision is not just a matter of statistics but of life and death. For instance, in the field of paediatric cardiology, one in every 100 babies born in Indonesia suffers from congenital heart defects, with a quarter of these cases requiring life-saving surgery. The country has fewer than 1,500 cardiologists, and an even smaller number of them are qualified to perform these critical surgeries, contributing to as many as 7,000 preventable deaths annually.
Innovative solutions to healthcare shortages
To address these challenges, the Indonesian government has launched a bold initiative as part of its Omnibus Health Law (Indonesian Law No. 17 of 2023), which aims to regulate healthcare technology and allow foreign medical professionals to practice there. The centrepiece of these reforms is the Hospital-based Specialist Doctor Education Program (Programme Pendidikan Dokter Spesialis Berbasis Rumah Sakit/PPDSBRS), designed to decentralize specialist training.
Traditionally, specialist doctors in Indonesia were trained through universities. However, with only 92 medical faculties nationwide and just 24 offering specialist degrees, the system has struggled to keep pace with demand. The new PPDSBRS allows general practitioners (GPs) to train directly in hospitals, learning from senior specialists in real-world settings. This system mirrors the residency programs seen in many developed nations and offers a promising route to boost the number of qualified specialists quickly.
To support this program, the Ministry of Health has begun offering full scholarships for GPs. These scholarships enable them to receive specialist cardiology, oncology, and paediatrics training. Upon completion, these graduates are guaranteed civil servant status, reinforcing the government’s commitment to addressing the shortage of healthcare professionals.
Decentralizing healthcare to improve accessibility
In addition to expanding specialist training, the government is focusing on decentralizing healthcare to ensure greater accessibility for all Indonesians. While hospitals are crucial for advanced care, they are costly and often concentrated in urban areas. Specialist clinics, however, can provide a more cost-effective solution for ongoing care, especially in rural and underserved regions.
Specialist clinics offer an appealing model: They provide expert care closer to home, with shorter wait times and fewer overhead costs than hospitals. This decentralization of healthcare delivery could improve access to care and present a lucrative business opportunity for investors. With chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases affecting a large portion of the population, the need for specialized care is substantial and growing.
Yet, there are challenges. Establishing and operating specialist clinics requires careful planning, including selecting optimal locations, managing operational costs, and ensuring high-quality patient care. The success of this model hinges on balancing profitability with a patient-first approach to healthcare.
The future of specialist care in Indonesia
Looking ahead, Indonesia is poised to transform its healthcare system. The planned expansion of medical training and specialist clinics could help bridge the gap in healthcare provision and reduce the country’s reliance on expensive medical treatments abroad, which currently costs the nation an estimated US$10 billion annually.
While the number of specialist doctors in Indonesia remains low, the government’s recent initiatives and growing demand for specialized care create a promising outlook.
With the right investments, Indonesia has the potential to replicate the success of global specialist care providers, positioning the country’s healthcare sector for significant growth in the coming years. This presents an opportunity for forward-looking investors to play a key role in shaping Indonesia’s healthcare future.
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