“Communication”: Key to Primary Public Health Center Transfer Drive

Abstract

The transfer of subdistrict health promotion hospitals to the Local Government Organizations has not yet been completed because the transfer involves many agencies, crosses ministries, and allows the transfer of personnel to be voluntary. Therefore, communication is important to provide accurate information and recognize the importance of the transfer to health professionals and the public. Effective communication will lead to decision-making and participation in the transfer process.

This study examines the communication situation involved in the transfer of subdistrict health promotion hospitals to the Local Government Organizations and develop policy recommendations for recommendations for improving these communications. The study employs a qualitative approach by conducting in-depth and group interviews with 33 health professionals from 16 subdistrict health promotion hospitals. The study found that the communication in the transfer of subdistrict health promotion hospitals to the Local Government Organizations relies on communicating through a representative of the health professionals going upward. The information mostly focused on individual benefits such as career progression and increase in salary, as well as organizational benefits such as supporting the budget and expansion of the workforce. Regarding public communication for transfer awareness, most subdistrict health promotion hospitals were found not to communicate with the public. As a result, the public understood that such transfer would not affect the health services, and this causes a lack of public participation and an inability to drive the decentralization principle that requires a strong participation mechanism from the central, local, and public sectors. Therefore, this study suggests that communication in the transfer of subdistrict health promotion hospitals to the Local Government Organizations should improve at all levels including the health professionals and the public, as well as improve the joint communication and planning among the relevant organizations to improve the effectiveness of transfer process.