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Hospital emergency in Indonesia — what to do

Which hospital to go to in Bali, Jakarta or other regions. How insurance works. Emergency numbers and what to bring.

3 min read

If you have a medical emergency in Indonesia, the choice of hospital matters more than in many countries. Public hospitals (RSUD) are functional but overwhelmed and slow; private hospitals (BIMC, Siloam, Pondok Indah, Mayapada, RS Mitra Keluarga and others) provide much faster, English-language service at much higher prices. Insurance should normally point you to a pre-authorised private hospital.

Emergency numbers

  • General emergency: 112 (one of the few numbers that works countrywide)
  • Police: 110
  • Ambulance: 118 or 119 (response times vary widely; in Bali and Jakarta, generally usable; in rural areas, often faster to taxi yourself)
  • Tourist police (Bali): +62 361 224 111
  • SAR (search and rescue): 115

Best hospitals in major tourist regions

Bali

  • BIMC Hospital Kuta — most popular with tourists, English-speaking, full ER, +62 361 761 263
  • BIMC Hospital Nusa Dua — newer, full ER
  • Siloam Hospital Denpasar — strong general, +62 361 779 900
  • Bali Mandara — public, large, cheaper, slower
  • Prima Medika — private, central Denpasar

Jakarta

  • RS Pondok Indah (Pondok Indah) — top-rated private, full ER, +62 21 765 7525
  • Mayapada Hospital Jakarta South — comprehensive
  • Siloam Hospital Asri / TB Simatupang / Kebon Jeruk — multiple branches with ER
  • RS Mitra Keluarga — network with multiple branches
  • RSCM (public teaching) — large, cheaper, busy

Yogyakarta

  • Siloam Hospital Yogyakarta — strong private
  • JIH (Jogja International Hospital) — English-speaking
  • RSUP Dr. Sardjito — public teaching hospital, comprehensive

Lombok

  • RSUD Provinsi NTB (Mataram) — best on island, public
  • Risa Hospital (Mataram) — private, smaller
  • For serious cases: fly or fast-boat to Bali, then to Singapore if needed

Outer islands (Sulawesi, Sumatra, Papua)

  • Major city public hospital usually adequate for stabilisation
  • Plan medivac via insurer

What to do in an emergency

  1. Call your insurance company's emergency line first if you can. They'll direct you to a pre-authorised hospital and may arrange transport.
  2. If you can't reach insurance, go to the nearest known private hospital with ER (BIMC, Siloam, Mayapada, Pondok Indah depending on region).
  3. Bring: passport, insurance card, list of medications, emergency contact details, credit card and cash (most hospitals require deposit even from insured patients).
  4. At admission: ask for the international/foreigner desk if available. Many hospitals have one.
  5. Don't sign treatment consent in Bahasa Indonesia you can't read — ask for English translation.
  6. Notify your home country embassy for serious cases — they can help with logistics.

What insurance typically covers (and doesn't)

Usually covers:

  • Emergency hospital admission
  • Surgery and ICU
  • Medivac to nearest adequate facility (often Singapore)
  • Repatriation to home country in serious cases

Often doesn't cover, even on good plans:

  • Pre-existing conditions
  • Scooter accidents without proper licence
  • Diving accidents below your certification depth
  • Alcohol/drug-related accidents
  • Pregnancy-related issues if pregnancy was known pre-trip
  • Routine dental beyond emergency

Pre-authorisation requirement

Many policies require you to call them within 24–48 hours of hospital admission. Failing to do so can void cover. Add your insurer's emergency number to your phone before you arrive.

Medivac

Indonesia has multiple air ambulance providers including SOS International, AEA International and locally Helicity. Cost to Singapore from Bali typically USD 30,000–80,000. Cost from Jakarta to Singapore lower. Insurance with medivac coverage handles this; cash-pay is rarely realistic.

Common mistakes

  • Going to the wrong hospital (public when private was authorised, or vice versa)
  • Forgetting the insurance pre-authorisation call
  • Refusing to pay the upfront deposit and being delayed
  • Not bringing passport (some hospitals refuse admission)
  • Trusting touts or "hospital-recommended" taxi drivers — they may overcharge
  • Underestimating that public ambulance times in rural Indonesia can be hours

Verify before acting

Before travelling, get your insurer's emergency contact number and the list of pre-authorised hospitals in your destination region. See disclaimer.

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