Pondok Indah hospital is a joke!

[TDYAN]

So, I'm a patient...for the rest of my life.

I'm a 20 year veteran of Type I diabetes (completely insulin dependent since day 1), so I'm in need of a specialist everywhere I live. I use an insulin pump to manage my disease so before me and hubby decide to move to a new country, I always check to make sure that I'll be able to receive my supplies needed to maintain my quality of life.

When we moved to Jakarta, I was pleased to tour Pondok Indah hospital and see for myself that there would be an acceptable hospital where I could receive quality medical treatment, that is until I signed up as a patient.

First of all, they charge just to register. This takes all of 5 minutes (not including the wait time, mind you), and you receive your plastic patient card and then you receive a bill for the "processing". Ridiculous. I called the internist clinic and explaiined my situation and stated that I needed a doctor who specializes in diabetes (endocrinologist), I was given 2 choices, naturally I chose the doctor whose name I could easily pronounce and made my appointment. That day came and when I showed up, they told me I was patient 17 and the doctor was currently seeing patient 7. Being the expat that I am, I fussed and said I didn't have all day to waste, sampling the food in the cantina and that they should have called to inform me of the delay, somehow a patient magically cancelled but I still had to wait almost 2 hours before seeing the doctor. Going into his office, he never shook my hand, never even said hello; he motioned for me to sit down and said bluntly "What's your problem?" I started to give him my medical background and as soon as I said the words: insulin pump, he stopped me and said "I can't help you, you need to see someone else". I had to ASK him to tell me who that person was, he wasn't offering up the information and then I proceeded to spend another 1/2 hour trying to get an appointment with that doctor. Frustration level on a scale of 1-10, 10 being really irritated, at this point: 6.

Before my next adventure, I got a call from a nurse saying that the doctor would be delayed the day of my appointment and could I come in 2 hours later (I was happy, they took my advice and at least called to tell me this before I headed over there). So I show up at 2 pm instead of 11:30 am and when I check in they tell me I'm patient 19 and the doctor is on patient 4 so I might have to wait 2 hours. I flipped!! Calmed down, explained to them that I was told to come at 2 because the doctor was delayed and somehow another patient magically cancelled again but I still had to wait an hour. Fine. This doctor had actually heard of an insulin pump and he prescribed me medications. I thought it weird that he did not order any blood work but I was just trying to go home at this point. I leave, happy, because I have my prescription in hand. Frustration level: 4.

The time comes when I need to get the prescription filled. I head to the hospital, go to the pharmacy, hand it in and wait for my name to be called. 30 minutes later, it's my turn. I go to the counter and they tell me that they don't have ANY of the medicines listed on my prescription and I should go to another apotik. I look over the slip of paper and to my astonishment I notice that the doctor never prescribed any insulin! NO insulin for a diabetic?? Frustration level: 7. I head to the internist clinic, explain the situation and wait. They try to reach the doctor, he says that he has never heard of my insulin before! Ok, so instead of telling me that so we could work on a solution, you prescribe me nothing instead??? Seriously! This is my life we're talking about here. Frustration level: 8. Somehow a very nice nurse came up with the name of a sales rep for the company that distributes the insullin in Indonesia so on another day I arrange to meet this fellow at the hospital where literally it was like a drug deal taking place. He looked around for a private place to pass me my drugs and I could pass him his envelope full of cash. Very cloak and dagger like scenario. I am told that if we are seen we could get into trouble because the pharmacy does not stock this medicine. It's insulin for Christ sake!! By this time I am convinced that I shall never return to this hospital again because my Frustration level has hit a big ole fat 10!

Off I go to see if I could find my other medicines, again I am stumped as to why the doctor would prescribe something that the hospital does not carry and just thinking about it makes me grind my teeth. Fatmawati hospital has some of the medicine listed (I take 4 different pills a day) but not all of it. I don't want to divide my prescription so I head over to SOS. At their pharmacy, they tell me that they don't have the pills either BUT...they can order them! Hooray! The first place that has offered to at least try to help me, BUT...they can't accept the prescription from Pondok Indah hospital, only from one of their doctors. What?! Where I come from, any prescription written by any doctor no matter where they work is accepted at any pharmacy. Frustration level: 7.

I've already decided that my days at Pondok Indah are done so I make an appointment with a specialist at SOS, surprisingly for the very next day. I had no wait time, the doctor asked me all of the right questions, ordered the right blood tests (even walked me to the lab), offered to email me the results, ordered my medicines and even asked if I could come in and show a new patient from Italy how the pump works. The only way I can say I would go back to Pondok Indah hospital is if I was unconscious and had no choice in the matter.

I know everyone has different experiences but I feel it should be universal that all of those in the medical profession need to be patient advocates, including those in government offices who make regulation for this field. The cost of my pump supplies is 25% more expensive than it was in Malaysia because they are imported. I think medical equipment should face some exemption from these fees, it's no wonder why there aren't more pump users here, it can be impossible to afford. And Pondok Indah hospital is probably a good choice for others but I don't think they take my health seriously enough.

Thanks for letting me vent. I feel better already. Frustration level: 0.

[waarmstrong]

Finding quality medical care (or any good service for that matter) is, in Indonesia, a trial and error process. One of the greatest things about this web site is that the often contorted search process becomes a group effort. Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Tdyan. Your willingness to pen a few paragraphs of a frustrating personal scenario is very instructive and much appreciated.

[Gratilla]

Unfortunately the "Appointment"/Wait system is standard modus operandi for (most) hospitals and clinics over here. We always call ahead to first check that the doctor is going to be in and preferably that he has actually arrived, in addition to how busy he/she is going to be that day before we leave for the hospital.

The level of medical kno..., err, ignorance/incompetence is case by case, but a major contributor for pretty much anyone with the airfare getting their treatment in Singapore. There are exceptions; SOS being one from my personal experience. They are more expensive, but "you get what you pay for" and there are some things that you don't haggle price on.

BTW #1, I believe that "doctors" can "practice" WITHOUT a Doctorate but merely a Masters degree over here, which may explain the ignorance level and why prescriptions are not universally accepted.

BTW #2, I did get my head stitches from a paramedic at Pelabuharatu Rumah Sakit without a wait and also my prescription filled in less that 3 minutes on Monday, but that was at 4:00 in the morning!

[MadCat]

The waiting for doctors is a near universal thing; the appointments aren't really appointments, more suggestions as to when you should show up. Wait time can range anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours, depending on the kind of doctor you're seeing. Not that frustrating if it's nothing life-threatening but in your case I'm surprised you haven't killed anyone yet

[kingwilly]

I was going to say one word ..... SOS

I've already decided that my days at Pondok Indah are done so I make an appointment with a specialist at SOS, surprisingly for the very next day. I had no wait time, the doctor asked me all of the right questions, ordered the right blood tests (even walked me to the lab), offered to email me the results, ordered my medicines and even asked if I could come in and show a new patient from Italy how the pump works.

But you've found them already.

nuff said.

[gffgold]

If you know what medication you need it is often quicker, easier and cheaper to find a willing apotek or supplier yourself rather than to bother with a prescription. The only things they get tetchy about selling without a doctor's prescription are sedatives and sleeping pills, though I'm sure even that isn't impossible if you know the right apotek.

I have been known to pretend I'm still living in the UK and use the 'NHS Direct' online or telephone service for advice, look up a suitable medicament myself, then buy it from the apotek.

There are some very good reasons why doctors qualified in Indonesia are not allowed to practice in most other countries.

[TDYAN]

But you would think that as the World of Medicine expands and new research is developed, that those who call themselves a Doctor, would familairize themselves with new medications and equipment so that they may treat their patients effectively. It's continuing education that I think Indonesia is lacking, and the patients are the ones who suffer because the doctors will get paid no matter what type of care they provide.

Before I got my pump, I was taking anywhere from 6-8 shots per day, with the pump, I only have to stick myself once every 3 days which is whole lot less painful, imagine the benefit and improvement in lifestyle if everyone could afford something like this. I don't know what the cost to get the pump is here but I'd hate to imagine, just for the supplies alone for a 2 month supply is over 5 million and that's not including the insulin. A 3 month supply of insulin is almost 3 million and the amount can change depending on how much insulin you consume. If the government can put into place food subsidies, why not medical ones? It's almost as frustrating as the health care system in my home country. The statistics are in a family where diabetes is present, 1 out of 4 persons in each generation will contract the disease. That's a lot of people! Now combine that number with all of the other sufferers of chronic illnesses and you get a lot more patients who are not progressively treated.

It's a shame and by no one's fault but my own, I have raised my Frustration level: 2.

[stt_cibubur]

I never been to RS Pondok Indah. My husband found very good internist in RS Meilia ,last year before the doctor found the cancer, he was diagnosed having diabetec type 2 ( the sugar level was 237), doctor gave prescription for Galvus and methapormin and even recomended us to contact the supplier direct if the hospital out of stock. Doctor also gave insulin and the pump but never use it/needed it....but at the end it was just faulty result due to the malfunctions of his thyroid glan...after cancer and the thyroid has been removed,now his sugar level in 105 - 120 average.

[Kratos]

Well TdYan,
at least you get a little bit of feeling of what the local ( or worse, the poor) experience daily toward hospital ........

I agree with Waarm, its a trial and error, but sometimes the time spent causes someone to die first, before finding the right one.... If you dont mind traveling a bit far, about 45 minutes from where you are (through Toll BSD), there's also a (they say) US certify hospital called Gleneagles Karawaci.....

Goodluck and welcome to Indonesia

[jj9749]

I had a few experiences in Rumah Sakit Jakarta, generally good, not much waiting. They do overprescribe unnecessary stuff though. Global Doctor was good also - bit more expensive.