IIBF Event Report March 2023 – Digital Transformation in Healthcare

9 March 2023, Jakarta: Globally, the problem of providing inexpensive and accessible care persists, although solutions have improved. There are many opportunities for healthcare collaboration between Indonesia and India. Both countries have large populations with significant unmet healthcare needs, and there is potential for mutually beneficial partnerships. Additionally, there may be opportunities for the sharing of best practices and expertise in areas such as public health and medical education.

Digital Transformation and collaboration in healthcare has the potential to improve healthcare access and outcomes, reduce costs, and increase efficiency. It also can accelerate the innovation, knowledge sharing and learning process to improve healthcare service delivery.

But it’s not just about the technology, it’s also about the people and the businesses that are driving this change. Indonesia India Business Forum (IIBF) held a business seminar and networking entitled “ Digital transformation in Healthcare – Future Trends and Opportunities“. To hear from industry leaders and experts who will share their insights and perspectives on the future and digitization of healthcare.

The IIBF event was held at the prestigious Habibie & Ainun Library in a round table setting, surrounded by books.

Pak Setiaji S.T., M.Si., the Chief of Digital Transformation Office at the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, is responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of digital health initiatives in Indonesia, including the PeduliLindungi and SatuSehat applications.

Pak Setiaji discussed the launch of SatuSehat, which has replaced PeduliLindungi, as a part of Indonesia’s efforts to improve access to healthcare and empower users to take charge of their health and make informed decisions about their care. He explained that SatuSehat is an integrated health application that provides various health services, including telemedicine, health consultation, and medication delivery. SatuSehat aims to make healthcare more accessible and convenient for people in Indonesia, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Users can also use SatuSehat to access their vaccination records and schedule vaccination appointments.

SatuSehat provides open APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for developers to create applications and services that can integrate with the platform. The aim is to encourage innovation and collaboration in the development of digital health solutions in Indonesia. Developers can leverage the platform’s features to create applications and services that can improve healthcare delivery and patient outcomes, ultimately helping to promote better health for people in Indonesia.

Prof. dr. Purnawan Junadi, MPH, PhD., Chairman of the Indonesian Telemedicine Alliance, believes that telemedicine has played a crucial role in helping to maintain healthcare services and prevent the spread of the virus, particularly in rural and remote areas.

As the pandemic forced many healthcare facilities to limit in-person visits and consultations, telemedicine emerged as an important tool for providing remote healthcare services. Prof. Junadi noted that telemedicine has enabled healthcare providers to offer virtual consultations, diagnose and treat patients remotely, and provide ongoing care and support to patients with chronic conditions. He also shared that telemedicine is set to grow in Indonesia with its healthcare efficiency by reducing the time, cost and convenience leading to improved patient outcomes.

Presentation by Dr Deepak Agrawal MBBS, MS, MCh, Professor, Neurosurgery & Gamma-Knife, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India on healthcare digitization leveraging the ubiquitous availability of mobile phones and mobile data to collect, manage, and share healthcare data. This approach also eliminates the need for manual data entry, which can be time-consuming and error-prone.

Dr Deepak spoke on the several health information exchange platforms operating in India, including the National Health Stack, Swasth, and National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), that connect healthcare providers, patients, and other stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem. It provides features such as telemedicine consultations, electronic health records, and medical supply chain management. These platforms aim to improve healthcare delivery in India by providing better access to healthcare services and enabling healthcare providers to make more informed decisions through access to patient health data.

On being asked by the moderator Dr Bayu on what would be the single most important factor in improving healthcare, Dr Deepak said that education is crucial in improving healthcare as it helps healthcare professionals acquire the skills and knowledge needed to provide quality healthcare services, raises awareness among patients and the general public, promotes research and innovation, addresses health disparities, and supports advocacy and policy development.

The role of education was further underlined by Norbert Kehl, Director of Program Development at Orbit Future Academy, a global education and training provider that offers courses in various fields, , including business, leadership, and technology. Norbert highlighted the need for upskilling in healthcare with the constantly evolving new technologies, treatments, and practices emerging on a regular basis, along with changing demographics of the population.

The discussion was moderated by Dr. Bayu Prawira Hie, MD, MBA, PhD, Digital Transformation Consultant and Executive Director of Intellectual Business Community and the speakers covered a range of topics, from the latest trends and innovations to the challenges and opportunities facing the healthcare ecosystem. The event was a valuable and productive experience for all.

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