Government announces plan to reform hospital care

Polish government adopted a bill aimed to create a network of hospitals to secure basic hospital care, PM Beata Szydło said at a press conference. The draft envisions creation of so-called “network of hospitals” which will have guaranteed contracts with the National Health Fund (NFZ). The criteria based on which hospitals will be included in the network will be announced at a later date, however according to early versions of the draft, the biggest, public hospitals will be favored. The qualifying hospital will receive 91 percent of total funding earmarked for hospital care. New entities will be able to join the hospital network in subsequent qualification rounds every four years. The bill, which according to PM Szydło and Health Minister Konstanty Radziwiłł will bring easier access to specialists and shorten the waiting time to see them. But many have voiced concerns, including Deputy PM Jarosław Gowin. Criticism include, making it very difficult for smaller and private facilities to receive guaranteed contracts which will force them to cut personnel and scope of operations. Some argue that without such possibility spending on R&D in the private sector will drop rapidly.