Andalkan Teknologi, Langkah Menyembatan Kesenjangan Layanan Perawatan Kesehatan

Illustration of health technology (Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The current transformation of health technology in Indonesia needs attention. Given the importance of this, the Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) opens a dialogue that focuses on bridging gaps in health care.

Based on the findings of the 2024 Philips Future Health Index (FHI) report that mapped Indonesia's progress in digital health transformation, this year's results show that health service leaders have implemented automation to increase productivity and are starting to feel the positive impact of virtual care in overcoming labor shortages.

In Indonesia, three of the four health service leaders (76%) surveyed reported that labor shortages caused delays in patient care were problems in their organization. To overcome this gap, health service leaders have implemented automation to reduce administrative burdens on health staff and simplify services for patients. All Indonesian leaders surveyed also saw positive results from virtual care services, with benefits that include increasing capacity to serve patients to a more flexible work schedule for health professionals.

So, in the future, they want smoother data integration and application of artificial intelligence (AI) at a higher level to better meet treatment demands.

"Innovation and technology have become an important force in the transformation of health services in Indonesia. With a digital health transformation strategy that goes hand in hand with the vision of 'Indonesia Sehat 2025', we aim to create a healthy environment for all Indonesian people and create a Healthy Indonesia," said Setiaji S.T., M.S., Chief Digital Transformation Officer, Ministry of Health RI in its official statement.

"Partnerships throughout the health ecosystem are very important to unlock the benefits of data and technology in improving the quality and accessibility of health services and increasing productivity and efficiency," he explained.

In dialogue involving many stakeholders with Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHILIA), Roy Jakobs, Chief Executive Officer of Royal Philips and Caroline Riady, Chief Executive Officer of Siloam Hospitals Group, they underscore the need for cohesive action plans for various stakeholders to collaborate and contribute further to the transformation of health technology in Indonesia.

The health care system is facing enormous pressure to provide treatment for high-quality patients amid a lack of manpower and a growing population of patients in various parts of the world, said Roy Jakobs, CEO of Royal Philips.

In Philips, we help encourage systemic changes to increase capacity across health care services. Changes that look at technology, clinical practice, financing, and regulation as an integrated unit. That's why collaboration with healthcare and care providers as well as the government is essential, as together we can help provide better care for more people, across the nursing environment," said Roy Jakobs, CEO of Royal Philips.

Thus, it is hoped that in the future, health service leaders will be strong in exploring new limits in artificial intelligence (AI) in order to create new efficiency and insight. They have implemented or planned to implement AI to support clinical decisions in various hospital services, including hospital monitoring, treatment planning, radiology, and clinical control centers in the next 3 years. A total of 74% plan to invest in a generative AI in the next 3 years, higher than the global average (56%).

Indonesian health care leaders also see the transformative potential of data-based insights (insights) and are determined to address the challenges of data integration reported by nearly all leaders (98%). To take advantage of the latest innovations including AI, they see the need to improve data security and privacy, provide more transparency about how data will be used, and improve data accuracy.

In order for health services to continue, almost all health service leaders agree that reducing carbon emissions and environmental impacts from health services should be a top priority for health organizations (99% agree) and the government (97% agree). Continuous procurement (for example, circular equipment) is the main strategy currently implemented by health service leaders (51%), and 39% plan to implement it in the next three years.

By understanding the needs of health service leaders, the main points of dialogue highlight the impact of the contribution of each stakeholder to the needs of patients in Indonesia today and in the future, as well as strategies for how they can work together to encourage further progress. The stakeholders agreed on the need for a cohesive plan, which is a catalyst for real steps in digitalization and data integration in Indonesia to improve the performance and resilience of health services as well as support the sustainability and long-term impact.

Astri R. Dharmawan, President Director of Philips Indonesia said the health service industry in Indonesia is at a crucial moment. The hope is the creation of cohesive cooperation towards digitalization to overcome labor inequality, data insight, and sustainability.