1. Health Professionals Survey
IndoPacific Edelman &
Research and Community Outreach Unit, Faculty of Public Health
University of Indonesia
September 2010

2. Health Professionals
Survey 2010
About the Survey
Conducted by IndoPacific Edelman and Research
and Community Outreach Unit, Faculty of Public
Health, University of Indonesia
Aimed at gathering information about
communication channels used by medical doctors
(MDs) to search and disseminate information
relating to their professions

3. Health Professionals
Survey 2010
Methodology
Quantitative method
• Fielded January – May 2010
• 300 MDs (GPs and specialists) with >3 years of
practice*
• Greater Jakarta area (Jakarta, Bogor, Depok,
Tangerang, and Bekasi)
• Face-to-face, random sampling (4.7% margin of
error and 90% confidence level)
Qualitative method
• Focus group discussions involving 13 MDs
• Held on July 22 and 27, 2010
• Divided into two sessions: MDs who are active
and not active online
*Sampling is based on the doctors’ area of domicile

4. Health Professionals
Survey 2010
Key Findings
Online media is trusted
source of information
on health/medical
issues
Attending
conferences/workshops
remain important, but
browsing the Internet
has become inevitable
The Internet has
significantly influenced
MD-patient
communication
Patient education
through the Internet
remains untapped

5. Health Professionals
Survey 2010
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Channels used by MDs to find information relating to their
profession

6. Health Professionals
Survey 2010
12%
24%
26%
42%
42%
55%
56%
66%
78%
79%
tabloids
radio
social media
TV
medical
representatives
newspapers
medical seminars
medical journals
medical magazines
online media
FGD participants say
they use search
engines to find online
version of medical
journals
Specialists and
teaching MDs prefer
medical journals than
other sources
MDs trust search engines to find specific information
Base=300Q: Please select the sources of information that you trust most in finding medical-related
information (MA)
Google (41%)
Medical journals & New
England Journal Medical
(11%)
Sources of information
Majority of doctors (91%)
do not mind receiving
information in English

7. Health Professionals
Survey 2010
• Dokter Kita 50%
• Medical Progress 14%
• Medical Update 11%
• Farmacia 7%
• Medika 6%
• Majalah Kedokteran
Indonesia 6%
Medical/ Health
magazines
TV stations
Q: Please select your main sources of information in finding medical-related information (MA)
Base=300
Most Preferred Magazines and TV Stations
43%
20%

8. Health Professionals
Survey 2010
Medical representatives are reliable sources for ‘treatment’
Base=300
57%
43%
28% 27%
7%
13%
7%
9%
13%
9%
61%
36%
32%
27%
20%
9%
3% 2% 1%
10%
52%
31%
25% 24%
9%
2% 2% 1%
50%
6%
Diseases Diagnosis Treatment
Q: Which media or other references related to your profession (except MIMS) do you regularly
turn to when seeking information about this topic?
Sources of information

9. Health Professionals
Survey 2010
MDs also recommend patients to use online sources to
search for information
Q: Please select three sources of information that you would recommend to your patients to find
health/medical related information. Please rank the sources based on priority. (MA)
Base=300
97%
57%
39%
33%
16% 15%
Online sources Health practitioners Scientific journals General media Publications from gov't
institutions
Public seminars
Most recommended
online sources include:
search engines (51%),
consumer health sites
(14%), and wikipedia (8%)
Web sites of special
medication and
healthcare companies are
more recommended than
IDI web site
MDs who are not active
users of the Internet also
recommend online
sources to their patients
Sources of information

10. Health Professionals
Survey 2010
INTERNET USE & INFLUENCE
How the Internet use has influenced MDs

11. Health Professionals
Survey 2010
Q: Have you used the Internet in the past two weeks to search medical-related information? (SA)
Q: Where do you usually access the Internet? (MA)
Base=300
Yes
76%
No
24%
Use of the Internet in the past 2 weeks
Internet Use & Influence
More than half use mobile phones to
access the Internet
•48% of MDs who don’t have emails have also
accessed the Internet in the past two weeks
for work purposes
32% MDs do not have
email accounts
Only 6 MDs have blogs
58% recommend online
media to their patients

12. Health Professionals
Survey 2010
Younger doctors tend to be more active online
88%
have emails
88% access the
Internet in the
past 2 weeks
Only 48% have
emails
68% access
the Internet in
the past 2
weeks
Age <27-40
Age 41->60
The Internet’s influence is lower on
older and more senior MDs
Activities outside hospitals do not
affect the MDs’ use of the Internet
Internet Use & Influence

13. Health Professionals
Survey 2010
The Internet has changed MDs’ behavior in seeking and
sharing information
Q: Do you think the Internet has affected you in terms of seeking and sharing information on health issues?
How has the internet influenced your current behavior in obtaining and sharing information? Please rate from 1
to 4, where 1 means you completely disagree and 4 you completely agree with the statements. Asked only to
respondents who say they are influenced or not sure if they are influenced by the internet. (Top 2 boxes)
17%
19%
52%
56%
57%
70%
74%
84%
85%
I am confused/overwhelmed by
info
I question accuracy of info
I have more intense
communication with patients
I get more conflicting info
I am more active in engaging
healthcare co/org
I am more active in sharing info
I am more active in engaging
fellow MDs
I obtain info faster
I am more active in seeking info
N=300
Internet Use & Influence

14. Health Professionals
Survey 2010
MD-PATIENT RELATIONS
The Internet’s influence on MD-patient relationship

15. Health Professionals
Survey 2010
More opinionated patients force MDs to improve the way
they communicate with patients
79%
63%
83%
85%
21%
36%
17%
15%
I am aware of what info
searched/obtained by
patients
I am not sure that all patients
actively search for info online
Patients discuss info they
receive on the Internet with
me
Patients become more
opinionated
Agree Disagree
Q: How has the internet influenced your current behavior in obtaining and sharing information? Please rate from 1 to
4, where 1 means you completely disagree and 4 you completely agree with the statements. Asked only to respondents
who say they are influenced or not sure if they are influenced by the internet. Top 2 boxes
N=300
MDs-patients relationship

16. Health Professionals
Survey 2010
Q: The Edelman Health Engagement Barometer* study carried out overseas reveals that 88% of respondents noted that
they turn to their physicians to validate online information, and the same number turn to other sources to validate
information from their doctors. Do you see a similar trend happening in Indonesia?
14%
3%
83%
Don’t know
No, my patients do not turn to other
sources to validate information I give
Yes, my patients turn to other sources
to validate information I give
MDs are not always right

17. Health Professionals
Survey 2010
Improved access to information should be followed with
proper education to patients*
Education to patients is a
must, and cannot be
expected from MDs
IEC materials are
desperately required for
patient education
Government is not seen as
reliable in patient
education program
Only one pharmaceutical
company is seen as leading
in patient web-based
education program
MDs are willing to
participate in sponsored
education program, as long
as it’s not used as
product/brand promotion
MDs desperately need
training on communication
skill to educate patients
*Results of FGD

18. Health Professionals
Survey 2010
Internet is inevitable. It should be
all MDs’ friend. Books and medical
journals are reliable sources of
information, but the Internet is
very useful because it is fast and
offers a wide range of info.
”
“
Quotable Quotes
MDs need communication skills
to be able to talk to patients in a
language that patients can
understand.
”
“
It’s good that patients are
checking the Internet to confirm
the information they receive from
MDs, so we are also aware of the
kind of information spread among
patients.
”
“
Educated patients will trigger
MDs to be always one step
ahead.
”
“
Patient education is the key word.
Smart patients could help us avoid
malpractice.
”
“

19. Health Professionals
Survey 2010
MDS’ DEMOGRAPHICS
Demographics of respondents

20. Health Professionals
Survey 2010 Demographics
Base=300
<30, 16% 31-40, 27% 41-50, 28% 51-60, 17% >60, 12%
<10, 53% 10-20, 27% >20, 20%
GP, 57% Specialists, 43%
Jakarta, 50% Bogor, 15%
Depok, 14%
Tangerang, 13%
Bekasi, 8%
Age
Years of
practice
GP/Specialist
Areas of
practice
66% MDs work at more than 1 hospital/clinic

21. Health Professionals
Survey 2010
18% teach at 16 medical schools
86% joins other organizations
besides IDI (47% joins more than 1
organization)
Activities outside of clinics/hospitals
Base=300
Medical Schools
University of Indonesia UPN Veteran
UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Pelita Harapan
Fatmawati Ahmad Yani
Akper Husada Bogor Trisakti
Koja Hospital Ukrida
Atmajaya University YARSI
Halim Tarumanegara University
Organizations:
• Alumni associations
• Professional associations
• Religious organizations
Demographics

22. Health Professionals
Survey 2010