Currently, the elderly population in Indonesia is increasing day by day. This is because the life expectancy of the elderly is getting better. However, on the other hand, with the increase in the number of elderly people, the vulnerability of the elderly will also increase and they will be susceptible to disease.
To overcome this problem, Faculty of Medicine of Diponegoro University held collaboration with Indonesian Ophthalmologists Association(Perhimpunan Dokter Spesialis Mata Indonesia / PERDAMI); Association of Physical Medicine and Medical Rehabilitation Specialists (Perhimpunan Dokter Spesialis Kedokteran Fisik dan Rehabilitasi Medik / PERDOSRI) of Central Java-DIY branch; Association of Indonesian Internal Medicine Specialists (Perhimpunan Dokter Spesialis Penyakit Dalam Indonesia / PAPDI); Indonesian Community Medicine and Public Health Doctors Association (Perhimpunan Dokter Kedokteran Komunitas dan Kesehatan Masyarakat Indonesia / PDK3MI); Semarang City Government; Diponegoro National Hospital; and Diponegoro University Medical Faculty Alumni (IKA MEDICA). In this collaboration event, the parties involved were launching the Circuit Station Model, Plenary Assessment, Education, and Treatment on Elderly Health of Participants of Chronic Disease Management Program at Public Medical Centers and Pratama Clinic located in Semarang City.
This activity is included in community service activities and is still in the framework of the 60th Anniversary of Faculty of Medicine Undip. Held on Sunday (19/09) at 09.00 AM in Graha Syifa Clinic, Gunungpati Semarang, the event was attended by the Dean of Faculty of Medicine Undip; Deputy Dean 1 for Student Affairs Research, Service and Cooperation of Faculty of Medicine Undip; Heads of Departments at Faculty of Medicine Undip; Heads of Study Programs and Heads of Units at Faculty of Medicine Undip; General Director of Diponegoro National Hospital; Director of Operations and General Affairs of Diponegoro National Hospital. The committee also invited the Mayor of Semarang City; Director of Health Service Insurance of BPJS; Head of Semarang City Health Office; Head of BPJS Health of Semarang Branch; Head of Public Medical Centers; and Manager of Pratama Clinic Semarang.
The Mayor of Semarang City, Hendrar Prihadi, in his speech expressed his gratitude for the community service activities that have been carried out by the team from Faculty of Medicine Undip. “I would like to thank the Dean and his entire team for doing community service in the Semarang City area. We know that this health area is a very important area and its development is prioritized for Semarang residents,” explained Hendrar Prihadi.
The Covid-19 pandemic which is currently still happening all over the world has become a very valuable lesson for the Semarang City Government, especially regarding HR issues (Doctors and Nurses) and health facilities. With this Circuit Station innovation, it will further strengthen the human resources and health facilities that were previously owned.
“We are making efforts to improve both the City Government and at the place of third parties to upgrade the health service rooms to be better. The experience of the Covid-19 pandemic has opened our eyes, if it turns out that the availability of doctors and the number of hospital rooms is still very lacking, especially in Semarang City. We express our gratitude to our health workers friends who are patiently and greatly dealing with Covid-19 cases,” explained Hendi, the familiar name of the Mayor of Semarang City.
In his remarks, the Dean of Faculty of Medicine Undip, Prof. Dr. dr. Dwi Pudjonarko, M.Kes., Sp.S. (K)., said that Circuit Station is an innovation created by the team of Faculty of Medicine Undip. “This is an innovation from our lecturers and something that will be very beneficial for the community,” said Prof. Dwi Pudjonarko.
The role of Public Medical Centers and Pratama Clinic will be the important role of the implementation of this program. They will detect early symptoms that arise in the elderly. “This is just a pilot program, it will be implemented in other various places,” continued Prof. Onang, the nickname of the Dean of Faculty of Medicine Undip.
Director of Health Service Insurance of BPJS Health, dr. Lily Kresnowati, M.Kes., welcomed the breakthrough innovation made by the team of Faculty of Medicine Undip. “As a representative of BPJS Health and also as an alumni of Faculty of Medicine Undip, I express my gratitude, appreciation, and pride for the launch of Circuit Station Model, Plenary Assessment, Education, and Treatment on Elderly Health of Participants of Chronic Disease Management Program,” said dr. Lily.
“BPJS welcomes the launch of the Circuit Station model. This assessment is an effort to provide information and socialization about the treatment of elderly health in a complete way through educational facilities in the form of books and exercise videos. The facilities are expected to be able to complement the clinical guidelines that we have prepared previously,” she added.
The Circuit Station program will support the BPJS Health program, especially in the service of Chronic Disease Management Program. The goal of Chronic Disease Management Program itself is to achieve an optimal quality of life for its participants with effective and efficient health services.
According to data from BPJS Health until August 2021, participants of Chronic Disease Management Program with Diabetes Mellitus were 321,873 participants, specifically in Semarang there were 18,397 participants. As for the participants with Hypertension as many as 492,661 participants and as many as 12,551 participants in Semarang. Of these, the percentage of elderly participants with Diabetes Mellitus is 56% and participants with Hypertension is 54%.
Participants with Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension are the main focus of BPJS Health. Further, dr. Lily revealed that the two diseases will cause other diseases. “We must first control Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension to prevent the occurrence of Catastrophic Diseases. This catastrophic disease occupies the highest rank of cases handled by BPJS Health and the costs are also the highest. In addition, these comorbidity sufferers are a vulnerable group with the highest death rate in Covid-19 cases,” explained the Alumni of Faculty of Medicine Undip.
BPJS is committed to work closely with the Regional Government to prioritize, both in controlling the comorbidity and in implementation of Covid-19 Vaccination program. The First Level Health Facility (Fasilitas Kesehatan Tingkat Pertama / FKTP) which has collaborated with BPJS Health has a major role in providing quality health services and ensuring the condition of the Chronic Disease Management Program participants. Especially the elderly participants are treated optimally in a stable and controlled state.
Previously, in his report, the Chairman of Community Service Committee of Faculty of Medicine Undip, Dr. dr. Trilaksana Nugroho, M.Kes, SpM(K)FISCM., revealed that this activity is a form of direct implementation of community service activities which is in line with Tri Dharma of Higher Education.
“Incidentally, there are grants in Faculty of Medicine Undip and these research and community services activities are one of the forms of grants. The grant will only be data research if it is not applied in the community. Therefore, we are obliged to convey it to the public. It is our task to express our ideas so that they can be implemented in the community and are affordable and in accordance with the prevailing system,” said Dr. dr. Trilaksana Nugroho, M.Kes, SpM(K)FISCM., who is also the Chairman of Indonesian Ophthalmologist Association (PERDAMI) of Central Java.
dr. Trilaksana added that the system implemented in the Circuit Station is a modified form of the BPJS Health program which is already widely known to the public, namelyChronic Disease Management Program. “When the elderly come together to be examined, it looks like they are coming into a reunion event. They do not feel like going to a hospital or a doctor, so while the atmosphere is good, we conduct a full screening test to examine all diseases, especially common diseases found in elderly or chronic diseases,” he added.
If an elderly person is detected with a disease, a referral system will immediately be carried out in accordance with applicable regulations. The target of this activity is the elderly who have Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension.
“Later we will submit the results of our analysis in the form of guidebooks and video tutorials in preventing elderly and chronic diseases to the community,” he concluded.
Further, dr. Trilaksana hoped that there will be synergy from various parties, especially the Semarang City Government, for the smooth implementation of this community service activity. “Our hope is that we ask for support from the Mayor of Semarang for the health of the elderly, so that the elderly are healthy, active and empowered. We hope we can help the elderly to stay productive in their old age,” he added.
In the Circuit Station program, there are several stations, namely station 1 for activities of daily living, station 2 for fall risk, station 3 for frailty, station 4 for nutrition & Covid-19, station 5 for cognitive & depression, station 6 for eye examination, and station 7 for empowered elderly.
Translated by: Titis (Public Relations)
