Disparity in health services is still found in Indonesia due to the minimal existing health services. Thus, synergy between players and national health system such as hospital, health agency, and education institution particularly faculty of medicines has become essential things to deliver quality overall health services across Indonesia.
“This is truly our shared interest. Let’s learn together for the interest of the nation,” said Dean of Faculty of Medicine UGM, Prof. Ova Emilia, MD., Ph.D, when closing the International Conference Academic Health System (AHS) Southeast ASIA Regional Meeting 2017, on Friday (13/1) at Auditorium of Faculty of Medicine UGM.
The conference that last from 12-13 January 2017 was held by Faculty of Medicine UGM to develop innovation in integrating education services, research, and health in the AHS. AHS is a concept that integrates higher learning institutions and various health service providers that focus on research, clinical services, and training.
Ova highlighted issues in national health services that need improvements in the future, among others, mindset change, curriculum adjustment of medical education, and clearance of legal umbrella and organisations.
On the issue related to institutional systems, State Secretary as well as UGM Chair of Board of Trustees, Prof. Dr. Pratikno, M.Soc.Sc, in his keynote speech for the conference said the synergy that would be built in the AHS, in his opinion, needs to be realised through clear institutions that would enable better coordination between players.
Minister Pratikno mentioned there were still many barriers in health services among society, especially related to disparity in quality of health services across regions. He further hoped the conference would be able to generate appropriate formulation for policy making to resolve existing problems.
“I highly hope this conference would produce a recommendation. With the limited sources that we have, we would jointly be able to resolve the more basic issue of the problems, which is to improve the quality of health of the society,” he added.
Higher Learning Director General for Science and Technology Resource, Prof. dr. Ali Ghufron Mukti, M.Sc., Ph.D., showed some challenges in building the AHS model in Indonesia related to organisational structure and management system, harmonisation of multi-sectoral regulations to formulate the legal aspects of the AHS, harmonisation of cultural organisation between institutions, consensus building and commitment of government and stakeholders. He further asked UGM and the other four participating universities to be the role model for AHS development by higher learning for the whole Indonesia.
“We will support five models of AHS that is propective, namely UI, UNHAS, UGM, UA, and UNPAD in 2017. This model will be adopted by other AHS in Indonesia,” he explained.