Will the Polish healthcare system be healed? MoH is preparing some changes

Ten post jest także dostępny w języku: polski

Persons undertaking paid studies in the Polish language in the field of medicine will soon be able to take out a loan to cover the costs of their studies under a draft bill proposed by the Health Ministry. And this is not the only change prepared by the Ministry of Health (MoH).

Loan for medical studies will heal staff shortages?

According to the Ministry of Health, students who study medicine on an extramural basis at public universities and full-time students at non-public universities will be able to apply for a loan. This loan is designed to support students financially and to cover some or all of the tuition fees until graduation. The loan would be disbursed for a maximum of 6 years. What’s more, students will be required to pay it back in the form of later compensation in the public health service. The loan itself will be of a preferential nature, e.g. low interest rate or the possibility of extending or shortening the loan repayment.

The purpose of this law is to limit the number of doctors emigrating abroad after graduation. Thanks to this, the problem of staff shortages in Polish hospitals is to be at least partially solved.

Strategy of the Ministry of Health for 2021-2027 – what is it about?

The Government has also published a draft resolution of the Council of Ministers on the establishment of a public policy entitled: “Healthy Future. Strategic framework for the healthcare system for 2021-2027”. The new strategy pays attention to improving the health of the population and extending life expectancy.  This plan is a continuation of the strategic document called “Policy Paper for healthcare 2014-2020. National strategic framework (Policy Paper)”. The plan in the first part will discuss the main elements of demography, epidemiology and will describe the main elements of the healthcare system in Poland. Then it will indicate the most important strategic conditions for the implementation of health policy and objectives which are grouped into four areas.

These areas are: patient, finance, development and processes. In each of the areas, specific objectives will be implemented, including investment in human resources and their development, coordination of community care or change in the organisation of health services in the field of psychiatric care. The project will be financed from both the state budget and the budgets of local self-government units and EU funds.

As emphasised by the Ministry of Health, the strategy will not be implemented through additional costs, but through appropriate allocation of available resources. The changes are expected to be adopted still in the first quarter of 2021.