Types of Telemedicine Services Frequently Used by Indonesian People

The COVID-19 pandemic forced countries to adapt to avoid the outbreak. One of the most prominent adaptations was the widespread use of technology-based healthcare services, or telemedicine.

Telemedicine allows users to consult with doctors without having to visit in person. Examinations and prescription dispensing are done online. This service likely existed before the pandemic, but its use by the public only became widespread when the Sars-CoV-2 virus struck.

So, what telemedicine services are commonly used by the public today?

A Deloitte Indonesia survey shows that 57% of respondents reported using telemedicine services. Of this percentage, 77% used telemedicine services between 1 and 5 times a year.

More specifically, the majority (84%) of users utilized telemedicine services not provided by hospitals or clinics, with only a small percentage (16%) using platforms from hospitals or clinics.

The most frequently used services were doctor consultations (40%), followed by medication purchases (31%).

This was followed by appointment scheduling for hospitals (14%) and clinics or laboratories (14%).

Deloitte notes that many users, 60%, reported satisfaction with telemedicine services. Almost all respondents (95%) were willing to continue using telemedicine services in the future.

"About 38% of them believe that telemedicine services can replace at least a quarter of their total hospital visits," Deloitte wrote in its report, *Deloitte’s Indonesia Digital Health Survey 2022*.

This consumer experience survey of telemedicine services involved 224 respondents. The majority of respondents were aged between 26 and 41 years old and located on the island of Java, including DKI Jakarta, West Java, East Java, and Banten.

The monthly expenditure of telemedicine users—approximately half of the total respondents—was more than Rp5 million. This means that telemedicine users are largely from the higher-income segment of society.

(See also: Higher-Income Individuals More Aware of Telemedicine Services)