|
(Last updated: 19 Jul 2007)
Trends and opportunities
The market
There are around 1111 general hospitals operating in Indonesia, of which, 888 are general hospitals providing basic medical services. The distribution of hospitals, particularly private hospitals, is concentrated in Java (531 hospitals) with the other islands accounting for the remaining 48 per cent of the total number of hospitals:
- Sumatra – 277 hospitals
- Sulawesi –112 hospitals
- Kalimantan – 84 hospitals
- Maluku and Irian Jaya – 42 hospitals
Affluent locals and expatriates source medical treatment from private and/or international hospitals. There are 518 private hospitals in Indonesia. For cases that Indonesian hospitals cannot handle, patients are usually referred to Singapore or Australia. Overall, there is enormous pressure on the hospital system to rationalise and improve efficiencies.
Lower income families source medical treatment from general public hospitals where staffing ranges from general practitioners to specialists in surgery, obstetrics, gynaecology and paediatrics at the larger hospitals. Alternative/traditional medication is also widely used.
A relatively comprehensive public primary healthcare delivery system is in place, which through a hierarchical system of health centres (PUSKESMAS) and sub-centres (POSYANDU), reaches over 3000 subdistricts within Indonesia. Simple clinical, curative, family planning and other services are provided.
Secondary and tertiary level services are provided by general public hospitals, which operate at the district, provincial and central levels and are administered by the Ministry of Health. Staffing typically ranges from general practitioners at the lower levels to specialists in surgery, obstetrics, gynaecology and paediatrics at the larger hospitals, which function as teaching and referral centres.
The role of the armed forces is significant within the public health sector, as they run about 18 per cent of the general hospitals.
The contribution by private hospitals to healthcare delivery has been hindered by the crisis but there is likely to be a return of significant interest from foreign investors once the economy starts to move.
Opportunities
Australian experience and expertise is relevant to a number of areas in the Indonesian health industry and opportunities currently being pursued by Australian suppliers include:
- private hospital development and management projects (in partnership with local organisations)
- alliances with strategic specialist providers (eg. coronary care, eye and ear institutes) and local clinics
- provision of private health insurance schemes
- hospital staff (both paramedical and administrative) training
- export of medical and hospital equipment
- healthcare treatment in Australia
In future hospital developments, one of the major sources of investment and interest is from local Indonesian construction and property development companies. In hospital management, these Indonesian companies are frequently seeking offshore expertise, including management capability from Singapore, Germany, USA and Australia.
Australia is well positioned to take a substantial role in these developments, as Australian health sector capabilities are broadly recognised in the community. There are a number of private referral services operating in association with Indonesian doctors and hospitals, facilitating the transfer of private patients for more advanced treatment in Australia.
|