Indonesian Heart Specialists Urge Public Trust Amidst Expertise and Access Challenges

Cardiovascular disease continues to be the primary cause of death in Indonesia, yet the nation faces a significant challenge in building public confidence in its domestic healthcare services. The Indonesian Society of Cardiovascular Specialists (PERKI) emphasizes that simply providing doctors, hospitals, and technology is insufficient; fostering trust is paramount to preventing Indonesians from seeking treatment abroad.

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The attention of the public has so far been focused more on disputes between doctors and patients. Meanwhile, the success of Indonesian doctors in handling complex cases rarely gets highlighted.

PERKI Chairman Ade Meidian Ambari pointed out that public attention often focuses on disputes between doctors and patients, overshadowing the successes of Indonesian doctors in handling complex cases. He asserted that the competence of Indonesian cardiologists is on par with international standards, bolstered by extensive clinical experience derived from a high patient volume, which he contrasted with countries like Singapore that have fewer patients.

Ambari acknowledged that cultivating public trust is a gradual process. Further challenges include a shortage of cardiovascular specialists and their uneven distribution across the archipelago. Currently, Indonesia has approximately 2,200 cardiovascular specialists, with about 1,600 actively practicing. A significant majority, around 60%, are concentrated in Java and Sumatra, leaving roughly 40% of the country's districts without specialized cardiac care.

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Their advantage is writing more scientific publications, so they are better known.

To address this disparity, PERKI is collaborating with the Ministry of Health and the relevant collegium to ensure that specialist placements in underserved regions are supported by adequate facilities. Without essential equipment, these specialists cannot work optimally. Alongside specialist distribution, strengthening the healthcare financing system is also vital for enhancing service quality.

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After this basic need is met, improvements in service quality and health technology will continue to be developed gradually.

While acknowledging a quality gap between Indonesian hospitals and destinations like Singapore, where patient comfort and experience are meticulously managed from arrival to discharge, Ambari stressed that the top priority remains the national healthcare system's emergency services, focused on saving lives. He stated that improvements in service quality and health technology will be developed incrementally once these fundamental needs are met. The Chairman of the Indonesian College of Cardiology, Renan Sukmawan, added that the training and competency standards for Indonesian cardiologists are aligned with international benchmarks, requiring extensive postgraduate fellowship training for subspecialization.

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Doctors who want to specialize in a certain field, such as cardiac intervention, arrhythmia, or pediatric cardiology, must undergo further education (fellowship) for about one to two years before obtaining subspecialist competence.