TY - JOUR AU - Wolan, Maja AU - Jacek, Anna AU - Gugała, Barbara PY - 2017/06/30 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - WAITING TIMES HEALTH POLICY IN POLAND JF - Review of European and Comparative Law JA - RECL VL - 29 IS - 2 SE - Articles DO - 10.31743/recl.4266 UR - https://czasopisma.kul.pl/index.php/recl/article/view/4266 SP - 33-45 AB - <p><span style="left: 111.024px; top: 363.771px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.967016);">In Poland, a provisions of the Act of 27 August 2004 on health care services </span><span style="left: 82.6737px; top: 383.771px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.96892);">financed from public funds</span><span style="left: 258.03516666666667px; top: 384.69016666666664px; font-size: 9.666666666666666px; font-family: serif;">1</span><span style="left: 262.869px; top: 383.771px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.950703);"> defines the principles of the waiting list . Waiting list </span><span style="left: 82.6852px; top: 403.771px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.9611);">is one of the way to ensure equal access to health care services . Running waiting </span><span style="left: 82.6852px; top: 423.771px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.89816);">lists for health care services is the statutory duty of all providers and considers </span><span style="left: 82.6852px; top: 443.771px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.956037);">only first-time patients . The Act of 27 August specifies the responsibilities of the </span><span style="left: 82.6852px; top: 463.771px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.974059);">provider in relation to the patient, and to managing the waiting lists . Provider is </span><span style="left: 82.6852px; top: 483.771px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.990547);">obliged to give the patient information on the scope of health care services, the </span><span style="left: 82.6852px; top: 503.771px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.935753);">waiting time for health services, and information regarding the confirmation </span><span style="left: 82.6852px; top: 523.771px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.903331);">of the right to health care benefits at the first visit of the patient . In addition, </span><span style="left: 82.6852px; top: 543.771px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.916636);">a patient at the point of registration should receive comprehensive information </span><span style="left: 82.6852px; top: 563.771px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.904359);">on clinics . </span><span style="left: 111.035px; top: 583.771px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.981697);">Minister of Health in regulation of 26 September 2005 on medical criteria, </span><span style="left: 82.6852px; top: 603.771px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.951154);">described what criteria should be guided by the provider entering a beneficiary on </span><span style="left: 82.6852px; top: 623.771px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.885591);">waiting lists for health care services . In case of deterioration of patients’ health, </span><span style="left: 82.6852px; top: 643.771px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.979649);">which may indicate the need to provide earlier health care service, the patient is </span><span style="left: 82.6852px; top: 663.771px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.981668);">obliged to inform the provider</span><span style="left: 279.819px; top: 663.771px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.964579);"> . Then, for medical reasons, the time of providing </span><span style="left: 82.6852px; top: 683.771px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.891808);">the health care service should be adjusted . Health care provider has no right to </span><span style="left: 82.6852px; top: 703.771px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.952195);">refuse to register patient on the waiting list to obtain health care servic. <span style="left: 111.024px; top: 106.642px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.980124);">National Health Fund web sites provide information on waiting lists main-</span><span style="left: 82.6737px; top: 126.642px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.984008);">tained by individual providers, the number of people, by urgent cases and cases </span><span style="left: 82.6737px; top: 146.642px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.950378);">of a stable, and the average waiting time for providing medical services and infor-</span><span style="left: 82.6737px; top: 166.642px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.919199);">mation about other healthcare providers who offer benefits in within a shorter </span><span style="left: 82.6737px; top: 186.642px; font-size: 16.6667px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.934155);">period of time </span> </span></p> ER -