Based on what the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia revealed in opening the specialist medical education assistance program, Indonesia needs help with the ratio of doctors, which is very far from the number of patients. It was revealed that the problems that were the cause of the shortage of medical personnel included:
The population growth in Indonesia is so fast that the demand for health services is getting higher, so the number of medical personnel cannot keep up with population growth.
Many Indonesian medical personnel migrate abroad for work.
There needs to be more distribution of medical personnel in rural areas, which are locations with a shortage of medical personnel.
Several remote areas in Indonesia need help to provide adequate health facilities and sufficient intensive facilities for medical personnel.
The increase in high workload and poor working conditions, such as long working hours that cause fatigue, burnout, and boredom, can even reduce the interest of medical personnel to survive or choose to switch professions.
The limited education and training of medical personnel in Indonesia are included in the lack of facilities and funds for training.
Of the several problems above, the most serious and influential problem in Indonesia's lack of medical personnel is the physical and emotional fatigue that occurs in doctors, nurses, and medical personnel. This is supported by a study published in The Lancet journal in 2019, reporting that around 50% of doctors in the United States experience burnout. Other studies conducted in various countries have also shown similar or even higher rates in nurses and other medical personnel. Medical personnel burnout harms their well-being and the quality of health services provided to patients. Therefore, health organizations and governments need to recognize and address the issue of burnout by providing adequate support for medical personnel, such as good workload management, psychological support, and burnout prevention programs.
The impact of the shortage of medical personnel in Indonesia is reducing public access to quality health services, increasing the workload for existing medical personnel, and decreasing the overall quality of health services. In the face of a shortage of medical personnel, it is important to take a comprehensive approach, including increasing the number of available medical personnel, improving the working conditions of medical personnel, and increasing accessibility and treatment options for patients. Home care can be one part of the solution, but it must be applied wisely and integrated into the wider healthcare system.