IHC – Mayo Clinic Partnership, John Riady: Healthcare Services in Indonesia Will Reach New Heights

JAKARTA, February 7, 2023 — John Riady, President Commissioner of PT Siloam International Hospitals Tbk (SILO), expressed optimism that the partnership between Indonesia Healthcare Corporation (IHC) and Mayo Clinic, a world-renowned U.S.-based medical institution, will significantly improve the quality of healthcare services in Indonesia.

Improving healthcare quality is essential to reduce the number of Indonesians seeking treatment abroad, which often incurs high costs. President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) previously stated that in 2022, around 600,000 Indonesians spent approximately US$6 billion (equivalent to IDR 100 trillion) annually on medical treatment abroad.

“This is an outstanding partnership and deserves recognition. Indonesia has successfully collaborated with a prestigious institution like Mayo Clinic,” said John in a written statement received in Jakarta on Monday (February 6, 2023).

As reported, Pertamina Central Hospital (RSPP) signed a cooperation agreement with Mayo Clinic at the end of January 2023. According to John, this collaboration aligns with the vision of Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin to synergize Indonesian hospitals with the potential and infrastructure capacity to partner with internationally renowned hospitals abroad.

“I firmly believe that healthcare quality must come first. With a population of 280 million, Indonesia has great potential to become a medical destination. This sector is a solid foundation for building healthcare into a new pillar of economic growth,” John stated.

He emphasized the need for more tangible government initiatives in the long term to improve the quality of healthcare education institutions in Indonesia.

“We are grateful that the government is focused on improving healthcare quality, increasing the availability of medical professionals, and strengthening healthcare education institutions. Improvements are being made from upstream to downstream. This is a very positive development. At Lippo Group, we manage SILO and the **Faculty of Medicine at Pelita Harapan University (UPH),” John explained.

On another note, John pointed out that one of the crucial reasons why Indonesia’s healthcare quality lags behind some ASEAN countries is the low ratio of medical specialists. According to WHO standards, the ideal ratio is 1 specialist per 1,000 people, while in Indonesia, the ratio is approximately 0.46:1,000.

“I’m confident that the partnership with Mayo Clinic will serve as a jump-start in addressing these urgent and critical healthcare issues,” John affirmed.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin emphasized that Indonesian hospitals must evolve into centers of excellence, both at the Asian and global level.

“The collaboration between Mayo Clinic and IHC reflects the government’s strong commitment to raising the quality of public healthcare,” the Minister stated in Jakarta recently.

He added that this strategic move is part of the government’s effort to realize the second pillar of healthcare transformation, which aims to improve access to quality and affordable referral healthcare services.

Mayo Clinic is globally recognized as a non-profit academic medical center based in the United States, focused on providing integrated healthcare, education, and research. According to U.S. News & World Report 2022–2023, Mayo Clinic was ranked the #1 hospital in the U.S., with leading expertise in diabetes and endocrinology, pulmonology and lung surgery, and urology.

In addition, Mayo Clinic is also highly regarded for its services in cardiology and heart surgery, and is often a leading referral center for oncology and neurology.

Furthermore, John proposed that the government establish a program to engage Indonesian healthcare diaspora. Many Indonesian nationals (WNI) working as healthcare professionals—including nurses, physicians, and specialists—reside abroad.

SILO, he added, as one of the largest hospital networks in Indonesia, continues to contribute to enhancing the nation’s healthcare quality. SILO is also committed to offering facilities and scholarships for doctors pursuing specialist training, he concluded. (*)