Dermatologist (Jakarta)

[xplorsky89]

Seems like on this travel journey I’ve been bugged by a few annoying issues, so I have to ask for help again here. Right now I’ve got a patch of irritated skin that did not go away for a while, and I need to find out what it is. Looks like I will have to do it in Jakarta since I’m staying here for a while longer. I need to see a dermatologist to do a scrub and test and determine if it’s just dermatitis, fungus, or something else. This would be a routine procedure in my home country, so I just need the same competent doctor here that can properly diagnose. A quick forum search did not yield any suggestions, except some alarming post about a dermatologist diagnosing a skin condition from textbook pictures and not doing testing. I wouldn’t want to end up seeing someone like that. If anyone can advise on specific places or doctors that are up to the standard, it would be appreciated.

 

[xplorsky89]

So working through this by myself, I looked up recommended expat hospitals, but I'm having trouble navigating to specific doctors from the hospital websites.

On RS Premier Jatinegara website, most webpages are not even translated to English.

On Siloam Hospital website, I can choose the Skin category, and there is a multi-page list of all doctors, but they are all over the country.

https://www.siloamhospitals.com/en/cari-dokter/dermatologi-kulit?p=1

So now I need to go page by page trying to find those in Jakarta locations. In Jakarta I see Siloam Semanggi (multiple locations), Siloam Pasar Basu, Siloam Agora and some others. Which one is recommended for expats and visitors?

Also, would it be better to choose a male or female doctor to get the most attentive approach and make sure they do testing, not just a superficial exam. I will insist on doing a scrub test, just want to get the doctor who would be accommodating.

If locating a specific doctor is not a good idea, next thing would be to go to one of these major international hospitals where they have outpatient specialist clinics as part of the hospital, in this case a Skin clinic, and do a walk in. Is that a good idea, and how can I locate that?

 

[Jaime C]

My wife has seen this lady doctor in the Menteng area. Dr Lidya Tarida. She speaks english. 0213154050

 

[Shadrach]

So working through this by myself, I looked up recommended expat hospitals, but I'm having trouble navigating to specific doctors from the hospital websites.

On RS Premier Jatinegara website, most webpages are not even translated to English.

On Siloam Hospital website, I can choose the Skin category, and there is a multi-page list of all doctors, but they are all over the country.

https://www.siloamhospitals.com/en/cari-dokter/dermatologi-kulit?p=1

So now I need to go page by page trying to find those in Jakarta locations. In Jakarta I see Siloam Semanggi (multiple locations), Siloam Pasar Basu, Siloam Agora and some others. Which one is recommended for expats and visitors?

Also, would it be better to choose a male or female doctor to get the most attentive approach and make sure they do testing, not just a superficial exam. I will insist on doing a scrub test, just want to get the doctor who would be accommodating.

If locating a specific doctor is not a good idea, next thing would be to go to one of these major international hospitals where they have outpatient specialist clinics as part of the hospital, in this case a Skin clinic, and do a walk in. Is that a good idea, and how can I locate that?

I would recommend that you have a lab test a sample of your problem. Don't just get a doctor's opinion. Like you said, it could be a one of many different things. I have seen doctors at hospitals about skin conditions, and they just guessed and gave me ineffective creams, and when I finally went to a proper doctor, it turned out to be skin cancer, which had to be surgically removed! Don't mess around!

 

[xplorsky89]

I would recommend that you have a lab test a sample of your problem. Don't just get a doctor's opinion. Like you said, it could be a one of many different things. I have seen doctors at hospitals about skin conditions, and they just guessed and gave me ineffective creams, and when I finally went to a proper doctor, it turned out to be skin cancer, which had to be surgically removed! Don't mess around!

Exactly, that's why I would insist on getting a scrub test. For example, a dermatitis can be treated with steroids, but applying steroids to a fungal infection will make it worse. Sorry about your skin cancer situation, that sounds scary.

Would you mind sharing which proper doctor you saw (you can PM me also)

 

[Shadrach]

Exactly, that's why I would insist on getting a scrub test. For example, a dermatitis can be treated with steroids, but applying steroids to a fungal infection will make it worse. Sorry about your skin cancer situation, that sounds scary.

Would you mind sharing which proper doctor you saw (you can PM me also)

I had to go to Wings Amerta, at Sanglah hospital. The Oncologist's name is Dr. Tusta. He did excellent work in my opinion. Unfortunately he did not accept BPJS, he only would accept private insurance, so I had to pay out of pocket. As I said, I had been using BPJS and going to doctors at several of the different hospitals, and the doctors did not make test to determine what my skin problem was. They sometimes didn't even get out of their chair and examine my skin. They just prescribed useless creams.
I think this is an example of how there are so many unqualified Doctors, in Indonesia, that just bought their certification, without proper training and knowledge to perform adequate, proper, medical attention!
So this leads me to be very dissatisfied with BPJS as the insurance provider. They seem to only pay for inadequate medical service. Which defeats the whole purpose of buying insurance. What good is it, if it won't cover your needs?
I know that even paying the top tier price for coverage is not much money, but I would be happy to pay more if they would cover my needs.

 

[harryopal1]

Seems like on this travel journey I’ve been bugged by a few annoying issues, so I have to ask for help again here. Right now I’ve got a patch of irritated skin that did not go away for a while, and I need to find out what it is. Looks like I will have to do it in Jakarta since I’m staying here for a while longer. I need to see a dermatologist to do a scrub and test and determine if it’s just dermatitis, fungus, or something else. This would be a routine procedure in my home country, so I just need the same competent doctor here that can properly diagnose. A quick forum search did not yield any suggestions, except some alarming post about a dermatologist diagnosing a skin condition from textbook pictures and not doing testing. I wouldn’t want to end up seeing someone like that. If anyone can advise on specific places or doctors that are up to the standard, it would be appreciated.

It would be worthwhile finding a naturopath with a good reputation. Dermatologists, like most doctors, treat the symptoms and often don't bother to find the cause which may well be diet related. Many years ago I met a girl who had a weeping rash below her hair line at the back of her neck. Dermatologists had prescribed creams which were doing nothing and she had the condition for some time. I took her to a naturopath who enquired in detail about her diet. He then recommended just fluids for 24 hours and then fruits and changes to her diet. It cleared up within days. Her mother hated me because it was as if she was being blamed for the food she was giving her daughter.

 

[Shadrach]

It would be worthwhile finding a naturopath with a good reputation. Dermatologists, like most doctors, treat the symptoms and often don't bother to find the cause which may well be diet related. Many years ago I met a girl who had a weeping rash below her hair line at the back of her neck. Dermatologists had prescribed creams which were doing nothing and she had the condition for some time. I took her to a naturopath who enquired in detail about her diet. He then recommended just fluids for 24 hours and then fruits and changes to her diet. It cleared up within days. Her mother hated me because it was as if she was being blamed for the food she was giving her daughter.

This a great story! Can you tell us what foods she was eating to cause such a rash, and how the naturopath figured this out?

 

[harryopal1]

I wasn't present for the appointment with the naturopath. This is over 60 years ago and as a middle class family I guess they had plenty to eat but probably a lot of stuff that you would not call healthy. Many years latr I had an arm rash that was quite irritating. A naturopath suggested I was eating far too many eggs so I changed my eating habits with, again, quick and good results.

 

[xplorsky89]

Thanks for your replies all.

I ended up going to Pondok Indah where they have an outpatient dermatology clinic. They speak English on the appointment line. The hospital is well organized, they shuttle you from registration to doctor visit to lab to pharmacy. The doctor seemed experienced and testing was done. I was a self-pay so cannot comment on insurance matters.