RS Premier Jatinegara affirms itself as a pioneer of halal hospitals in Indonesia by making compliance and consistency the foundation of its services. Since obtaining a halal certificate for its kitchen on February 22, 2012, the hospital, under the leadership of dr. Yustinus Henry Yogatama, MM, has been committed to providing services that offer a sense of safety, comfort, and trust for every patient.
RS Premier Jatinegara is one of the pioneers of halal hospitals in Indonesia. Two years after officially adopting the name, precisely on February 22, 2012, the hospital obtained a halal certificate for its kitchen services through an inspection by the Halal Inspection Body (LPH) of The Assessment Institute for Foods, Drugs and Cosmetics Indonesian Council of Ulama, demonstrating its strong commitment to establishing a healthcare service system based on halal standards long before halal certification became mandatory nationwide.
With a capacity of 203 active beds and various inpatient room classes, ranging from Class 3 to Suite and Premier, RS Premier Jatinegara does not only focus on physical facilities and medical services. The hospital management also views the psychological comfort of patients as an important part of service quality, particularly the peace of mind related to the halal aspect of services, especially food.
In an interview with Jurnal Halal, the CEO of RS Premier Jatinegara, dr. Yustinus Henry Yogatama, MM, emphasized that halal certification is part of the hospital’s service vision, not merely following a trend. “In principle, we want to provide maximum comfort to every patient. In this way, patients can feel more at ease and confident that their needs, particularly those related to halal aspects, are truly taken into consideration by the hospital,” he said.
Yustinus explained that when the certification process was first carried out, the issue of halal hospitals was not yet as widely discussed as it is today. However, the management viewed it as a long-term necessity. “At that time, the halal issue had not yet become a major topic as it is today. Nevertheless, we saw it as part of our commitment to delivering the best service. By having halal certification, we believe we can meet the needs of patients—especially since the majority of our patients are Muslims,” he explained.
This commitment is realized through three main pillars. “First, our services are oriented toward the community around the hospital, particularly in the Jatinegara area of East Jakarta, where the majority of the population is Muslim. Second, commitment to improving service quality. Third, compliance with government regulations.” These three aspects form the basis for the development of the halal hospital concept at RS Premier Jatinegara.
In practical terms, catering services for inpatients have obtained a Halal Certificate from the Indonesian Council of Ulama through the Halal Inspection Body (LPH) of The Assessment Institute for Foods, Drugs and Cosmetics Indonesian Council of Ulama on February 22, 2012, and have subsequently been adjusted to current regulations so that they now obtain halal certification from the Halal Product Assurance Agency. In addition, the hospital also received the Sharia Compliance Certificate for Muslimah Work Uniforms from the National Sharia Council of the Indonesian Council of Ulama on May 27, 2009. This indicates that the standards applied do not refer to a single authority alone.
“That is correct. The standards used in the halal certification process at RS Premier Jatinegara refer to the provisions set by the Halal Product Assurance Agency, with assistance from the Halal Inspection Body (LPH) of The Assessment Institute for Foods, Drugs and Cosmetics Indonesian Council of Ulama. Meanwhile, for aspects of sharia compliance, we follow the provisions established by the National Sharia Council of the Indonesian Council of Ulama,” emphasized Yustinus.
From the infrastructure perspective, adjustments have been made comprehensively. “All hospital infrastructure and facilities, ranging from machinery, main and supporting equipment, to food storage and serving processes, have been adjusted to comply with halal standards and requirements. The process has been implemented consistently from the initial stage of raw material procurement until the food is served to patients,” he explained.
Human resource readiness is also an important part of this system. “The Halal Management Team of RS Premier Jatinegara has participated in external training as well as competency tests as Halal Supervisors. In addition, every unit with critical activities is also scheduled to participate in internal training related to halal aspects regularly each year,” Yustinus stated.
Nevertheless, the journey toward becoming a halal hospital is not without challenges. “Several obstacles we faced were mainly related to understanding the requirements of halal certification. Hospitals need to understand the criteria of the Halal Assurance System (HAS), one of which is through training,” he said.
He added, “The implementation of the Halal Assurance System (HAS) requires a high level of commitment because the hospital must implement it before the certification registration process takes place—including establishing a halal policy, forming a halal management team, and preparing related procedures.”
Challenges also arise from technical and administrative aspects. “Preparing halal certification documents, such as product lists, materials, and Halal Assurance System (HAS) procedures, requires careful attention. Cost and time factors also present challenges, considering that the halal certification process requires a considerable allocation of budget and time. Therefore, hospitals must prepare thoroughly,” he said.
In facing all these challenges, RS Premier Jatinegara adheres to a simple yet fundamental principle. “The key is compliance and consistency.” Yustinus emphasized, “All teams in the hospital must ensure that every process in the kitchen—from the selection of raw materials to the serving of food—complies with halal standards and is free from contamination with non-halal materials.”
Supervision is carried out systematically through monitoring, evaluation, internal audits, and periodic management reviews. “We regularly conduct monitoring, evaluation, and internal audits to ensure that the implementation of the Halal Assurance System (HAS) runs properly. Management review activities are also carried out periodically,” he explained.
In addition, RS Premier Jatinegara also organizes training and education for all hospital staff to ensure they understand the importance of halal certification and the implementation of the Halal Assurance System (HAS). The establishment of a Halal Management Team, strengthening internal policies, and collaboration with the Halal Product Assurance Agency and The Assessment Institute for Foods, Drugs and Cosmetics Indonesian Council of Ulama are part of the strategy to continuously strengthen the halal system.
Today, RS Premier Jatinegara is not only known as a pioneer of halal hospitals but also as a provider of comprehensive medical services, with various specialist services such as internal medicine, pulmonology, cardiology and vascular medicine, pediatric surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, neurology, psychiatry, dermatovenereology, clinical nutrition, medical rehabilitation, clinical pathology, and anatomical pathology. All these services are supported by halal-assured food services for Muslim patients.
Through this long journey, RS Premier Jatinegara proves that a halal hospital is not merely a label but an integrated system built with vision, governance, and collective work. As emphasized by dr. Yustinus Henry Yogatama, the main foundation remains the same: compliance and consistency—two values that maintain patient trust while strengthening RS Premier Jatinegara as a pioneer of halal hospitals in Indonesia. (***)
Source: Jurnal Halal 176
https://halalmui.org/jurnal-halal/176/
