Collaborative Study on Information System to Support Primary Healthcare Service in Indonesia

by | Nov 6, 2024 | Highlight, News & Events

Jakarta (29/10) –PathGen – Interbio Consortium and Prospera, in collaboration with the Indonesian Ministry of Health, hosted a day workshop to mark the beginning of immersive studies on primary healthcare information system analysis. Held at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Jakarta, the workshop is part of a larger study called PRISMA (Development and Analysis of Information Systems Supporting Primary Healthcare Services), aiming to enhance healthcare accessibility, efficiency, and quality across primary care (Puskesmas) in Indonesia. This project is a collaborative effort involving Prospera as the funder and The Directorate General of Public Health of Ministry of Health as the main beneficiary, particularly Directorate of Public Health Management (Tata Kelola Pelayanan Kesehatan/ Takelkesmas), alongside Data and Information Center (Pusat Data dan Teknologi Informasi/ Pusdatin) and Digital Transformation Office (DTO) as partners. For project delivery, PathGen-Interbio Consortium is supported by panel of healthcare and system information experts from academic institutions and professionals, such as dr. Ahmad Hidayat, MSc, MBA (digital health consultant), Dr. dr. Guardian Yoki Sanjaya (Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada), Ms. Endah Sulistyowati (Midwifery Faculty, Universitas Muhammadiyah Semarang), Dr Okaranti (Nursing Faculty, Universitas Adhirajasa Reswara Sanjaya), Dr Mario Soflano (Heriot Watt University, UK) and Prof. Juliana Sutanto (Monash University, Australia).

The speakers and participants of the workshop included the representatives from Tekelkesama, DTO (Dr. Dewi Nur Aisyah), Pusdatin and the provincial health departments (Dinas Kesehatan) of Riau, Central Java, Central Sulawesi, and Central Papua, as well as the health departments of Dumai, Kendal, Tojo Una-Una, and Timika regency, where the immersive studies will be conducted. This workshop focused on enhancing understanding and support for Indonesia’s Integrated Primary Care (ILP) programme by addressing several key areas. Participants sought to understand the latest advancements of ILP implementation in various regions in Indonesia, explore the use of the ASIK application and SATUSEHAT interoperability playbook, and examine the SIKDA Generik information system as a management tool for Puskesmas facilities. Dedicated discussion sessions encouraged feedback to refine the research protocols for the soon-to-be-commenced immersive studies.

The Director of Takelkesmas, dr. Then Suyanti, MM., formally opened the workshop, expressing her hope that this session would achieve favorable results that can be implemented and benefit Indonesia, especially from ILP. She stated that “An effective health information system is a crucial component in supporting quality improvement efforts at the primary level, and this system must be able to provide accurate data to ensure that processes run effectively and smoothly.” She hoped that with the updated system, Indonesia’s healthcare system is expected to operate more effectively, delivering improved outcomes.

Dr. Gary Deng, representing Prospera, expressed his hopes this impactful workshop focused on fostering positive outcomes in healthcare access equality through the discussions. He said that digital transformation involves two key steps: (1) designing a user-centred framework, and (2) establishing a clear path to adopting the new system. This approach requires learning from users to understand their needs and how they can achieve a more effective digital transformation. “So go deep and cover all users and every path of their journey,” Gary added, hoping that rall activities would proceed smoothly.

General Manager of PathGen, dr Prio Wibisono, opened his welcome statement with heartfelt appreciation for all parties involved, thanking them for their willingness to collaborate, their dedication, and the hard work that made this event possible for advancing healthcare in Indonesia. He noted that currently, only 66% of Puskesmas are connected to SatuSehat, citing challenges such as data fragmentation, varying internet connectivity, geographical differences, and other issues. Dr. Wibi emphasised that this workshop marks the beginning of a series of immersive study activities across Indonesia, aiming to explore primary healthcare services in depth by mapping user journeys and reviewing on-site information systems. He expressed hope that by studying these areas, they can identify field challenges and provide concrete recommendations to improve Indonesia’s primary healthcare system.

VP Technical & Delivery of Interbio, Agung Wicaksono, said that in the perspective of user-centric technology solutions, user identity management is necessary to ensure all benefits can be optimally and precisely received by the community and have highly accurate data to be monitored and optimized to support government programs. It will also provide comprehensive analytical data to government officials, which will ultimately impact increased benefits for  the community.

Finally, Dr Susanti, CEO/ Founder of PathGen, the program leader, summarised that this project showcases the importance of collaborations in tackling the complexity of healthcare delivery and highlight Pathgen’s commitment in supporting end-to-end healthcare solutions in developing countries.