Legal Review of Informed Consent: Role and Implementation Challenges in Improving Hospital Health Services in Indonesia

Departement of Administration and Health Policy, Faculty of Public Health, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Indonesia.

^* Corresponding wulank@lecturer.undip.ac.id

Abstract

Informed consent is a core legal and ethical obligation in medical practice, which strengthens trust in the patient provider relationship and supports the overall quality of healthcare delivery. This study examines the coherence of legal regulations governing informed consent in Indonesia and identifies the gap between regulation and implementation in hospital settings. A normative juridical approach was employed to review key legal instruments in terms of normative consistency and practical applicability. Indonesia has a relatively strong and stable legal framework on informed consent, supported by professional ethical guidelines. However, challenges persist in implementation, including variability in practice, limited legal literacy among healthcare providers, and lack of standardized procedures. To bridge the gap between regulation and practice, several systemic improvements are recommended including national standardization of informed consent procedures, enhanced legal education for health professionals, culturally sensitive patient-provider communication, and the use of supplemental media to aid patient understanding.