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Category: Stay healthy

Business Success through Physical Activity!

In today’s bustling business world, maintaining a balance between work and health can be a challenge that can transform into success. However, research shows that regular physical activity not only positively affects our health but can also significantly improve our productivity at work and creativity. In this article, we will explore the connections between physical activity and achieving higher business goals, as well as provide suggestions for integrating activity into daily business routines.

Research Confirms: Physical Activity and Work Productivity
Scientific research unequivocally indicates the benefits of regular physical activity for work productivity. Regular exercise improves blood flow to the brain, which in turn supports our cognitive functions, memory, and ability to concentrate. Regularly active individuals also tend to have higher energy and motivation, translating into better performance in business tasks.

Creativity and Innovation: How Physical Activity Supports New Ideas
Physical activity not only enhances work productivity but also stimulates creativity and innovation. Physical exercises can help alleviate stress and tension, enabling freer thinking and the generation of new ideas. Moreover, physical activity can be a source of inspiration and new perspectives, fostering the creation of innovative business solutions.

Integrating Activity into Daily Business Routines
Integrating physical activity into the daily business routine is a crucial element in achieving success both in work and health. Consider taking regular exercise breaks during the workday, utilizing on-site fitness facilities, or organizing business meetings during physical activities such as walks or jogs. It is important to treat physical activity as an integral part of the daily routine, not just as an addition to it.

Long-term Benefits: Building a Healthy Lifestyle as Sustainable Business Success
Physical activity not only supports short-term business goals but also contributes to building a healthy lifestyle, which is essential for sustainable business success. Regularly active individuals tend to have a lower risk of diseases, better physical and mental fitness, enabling them to cope better with long-term business challenges.

Conclusion:
Regular physical activity is not only beneficial for health but also has a tremendous impact on work productivity and creativity. Integrating physical activity into the daily business routine is a key element in achieving higher business goals and building a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. Let us remember the importance of taking care of our health and engaging in regular physical activity for success in business and life.

Physical and Mental Health as Keys to Success.

In the business world, success isn’t always just a matter of talent or hard work. Physical and mental health also play a crucial role. In today’s article, we will examine strategies for maintaining a healthy lifestyle that are essential for achieving peak performance in business.

Regular Physical Activity: Foundation for Efficient Functioning.
A healthy body equals a healthy mind. Regular physical activity not only benefits physical fitness but also mental well-being. Although professional life can consume a lot of time, it’s worth finding a moment for daily activity. It could be a quick morning jog before work, a short strength training session during lunch break, or an evening yoga session. Physical exercises help reduce stress, improve mood, and contribute to increased productivity at work.

Balanced Diet: Fuel for the Brain and Body.
Proper nutrition is crucial for our work performance. A diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and protein helps maintain energy and concentration throughout the day. Avoid processed foods that can cause energy fluctuations and fatigue. Also, remember to regularly drink water to prevent dehydration and maintain optimal body function.

Adequate Sleep: Key to Regeneration and Mental Clarity.
Sleep plays a crucial role in the body and mind’s regeneration process. Lack of adequate sleep can lead to decreased concentration, bad mood, and cognitive decline. Therefore, it’s important to ensure an adequate amount of sleep every night, striving to maintain a regular sleep schedule even during intense work periods.

Stress Management: Relaxation Techniques and Response to Challenges.
Stress is inevitable in the business world, but how we respond to stress can significantly impact our productivity and mental health. It’s worthwhile to develop stress management techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, or regular relaxation practices. Regular practice of these techniques can help maintain calmness in challenging business situations.

Conclusion:
Physical and mental health are the foundation of success in business. By taking care of ourselves through regular physical activity, a healthy diet, adequate sleep, and effective stress management techniques, we can achieve peak performance in work and professional life. Therefore, let us remember that our health is the most valuable asset worth nurturing for business success.

Business Travel – How to Take Care of Yourself.

March 28, 2024.

Business trips can be exceptionally stressful and pose challenges to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Frequent travels, changing time zones, and limited access to healthy food and physical activity can challenge the balance between work and health. However, there are effective strategies that can help take care of yourself during luxury business travels. In this article, we will discuss how to maintain a healthy lifestyle onboard, including healthy eating, physical activity, stress management techniques, and the importance of having health insurance.

  1. Healthy Eating While Traveling: Choosing Food Options at Airports and Hotel Rooms.
    When traveling for business, we often face limited food options, especially at airports and hotels. However, there are ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle while on the go. It’s worth planning meals in advance, opting for healthy options at airports such as salads, grilled dishes, and fresh fruits. In the hotel, consider ordering a healthy breakfast, avoiding fatty foods, and paying attention to portion sizes and meal quality.
  2. Physical Activity in the Hotel Fitness Club: How to Integrate Exercise into Your Travel Schedule.
    Although business trips can consume all your time and energy, it’s worth finding time for physical activity. Most luxury hotels offer well-equipped fitness centers that are available to guests. Use this time for short strength training sessions, treadmill jogging, or yoga sessions to maintain physical activity and a rested mind during your travels.
  3. Relaxation Techniques Onboard: How to Deal with Stress and Tension.
    Stress accompanies many business trips, but there are effective relaxation techniques that can help manage it. Breathing exercises, meditation, and simple relaxation techniques can help reduce stress levels and improve well-being. It’s also worth taking advantage of relaxation opportunities in luxury hotels, such as hydrotherapy baths or massage sessions.
  4. The Importance of Health Insurance During Business Travel: Why it’s Worth Being Prepared for Unexpected Medical Situations.
    Business trips can be unpredictable, and unexpected medical situations can occur at the least expected times. Having adequate health insurance can provide peace of mind and seamless access to high-quality medical care when needed. Before traveling, check if your health insurance policy covers international trips and offers support in emergencies.

Conclusion:
Business travel doesn’t have to be a challenge to a healthy lifestyle. Maintaining a balance between work and health during luxury business trips requires planning and awareness, but it’s entirely possible. By choosing healthy food options, maintaining physical activity, using relaxation techniques, and having appropriate health insurance, we can take care of ourselves even in the most demanding circumstances.

Is Physician Overwork Becoming a Threat?

Working in healthcare, despite its nobility, often carries the burden of overwork, fatigue, and professional burnout, which can lead to serious consequences for medical staff and patients alike. Research and statistics clearly demonstrate that a tired physician poses not only a threat to their own health but also to the safety of patients.

“The Lancet” journal reports a frightening truth that even minor sleep deficiencies can dramatically affect the quality of physicians’ work. A doctor working a grueling 36-hour shift may make up to 460% more diagnostic errors compared to a colleague who had sufficient sleep. Furthermore, an experienced surgeon with only a few hours of sleep may have a 170% higher risk of committing a serious error during a medical procedure.

In Poland, the reality isn’t much better. A survey conducted by the Konsylium24.pl portal indicates that the vast majority of doctors and nurses work significantly beyond the standard hours. Moreover, as revealed by the study, some of them engage in work for up to 18 hours a day, summing up to a staggering 126 hours per week.

The overwork of medical personnel not only jeopardizes their health and personal lives but also poses a real threat to patients. In Poland, where there are only 2.4 doctors and 5.1 nurses per 1000 inhabitants, the shortage of personnel becomes a significant public health problem. Not only are we far behind other European countries in terms of medical staff availability, but we also question the quality and safety of medical care we can expect.

The solution to this problem is not merely patching up the staffing gap but also the necessity of preventive measures and support for medical personnel. Training on self-care, stress management, healthy lifestyle, and adequate rest can help reduce the risk of fatigue and medical errors.

However, to effectively counteract the fatigue of doctors and nurses, broader actions are necessary. Educating new medical professionals, incentivizing work in the profession through flexible forms of employment, and being open to employees from abroad are just some of the possible solutions. Cooperation with other countries, such as Ukraine, can provide us with new, qualified specialists who can strengthen our healthcare system.

Combating physician fatigue is not just a matter of the well-being of medical staff but also the safety of each of us. Faced with challenges related to the growing demand for healthcare, we cannot afford to neglect this issue. Healthy, rested medical workers are the cornerstone of the efficient functioning of the healthcare system and the guarantee of patient safety.

Medical Transportation: A Vital Component of the Best Policies

Medical transportation plays a significant role in ensuring comprehensive healthcare, particularly within health insurance policies. It is a crucial element that enables patients to have quick and effective access to necessary medical services in emergencies or situations requiring specialized care. In this article, we will explore the main benefits of medical transportation within health insurance policies and its impact on improving healthcare quality.

  1. Swift Access to Medical Care

One of the most important benefits of medical transportation within health insurance policies is ensuring rapid access to medical care in urgent or critical situations. Time often plays a crucial role in emergencies such as road accidents, heart attacks, or strokes. Medical transportation allows for the swift transfer of patients to the nearest hospital or medical facility where they can receive essential medical assistance.

  1. Professional Care During Transport

Medical transportation within health insurance policies also ensures high standards of care during patient transport. Ambulance crews and other medical transport personnel are trained to provide stabilization and care during the journey to the hospital. They also have appropriate medical equipment that may be necessary in emergency situations, such as defibrillators or advanced medications.

  1. Optimal Use of Medical Resources

Medical transportation within health insurance policies also contributes to the optimal utilization of medical resources. By quickly transporting patients to appropriate medical facilities, excessive burdens on hospitals or emergency services can be avoided. This, in turn, allows for more effective patient management and better organization of medical personnel’s work.

  1. Increased Availability of Medical Care

Another significant advantage of medical transportation within health insurance policies is the increased availability of medical care, especially in areas with limited access to medical facilities. Thanks to the mobility of medical transportation, patients from remote or hard-to-reach regions can quickly reach medical specialists and receive necessary care.

In summary, medical transportation is an integral element of health insurance policies that contributes to improving healthcare quality and increasing the availability of medical services for patients. It provides swift access to medical care in emergencies, professional care during transport, and optimal use of medical resources. With medical transportation, patients can rest assured that in cases of emergencies or illnesses, they will have swift and effective access to necessary medical assistance, leading to improved health and quality of life.

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Snoring: Causes, Effects, and Treatment Methods

Snoring is a problem that affects millions of people worldwide. While for some it’s just a bothersome nighttime melody, for others it can lead to more serious health consequences. In this article, we’ll examine the main causes of snoring, its potential effects, and various treatment methods to help you understand this phenomenon and deal with it effectively.

Causes of Snoring

Snoring can have various causes, and its mechanism is related to the vibration of loose throat and palate tissues during sleep. Some of the main factors predisposing to snoring include:

  1. Obesity: Excessive accumulation of fat tissue around the neck can lead to narrowing of the airways, increasing the risk of snoring.
  2. Smoking and Alcohol Consumption: These substances can lead to relaxation of the throat muscles, which in turn promotes snoring.
  3. Nasal Congestion: Blocked airways due to allergies, infections, or other sinus problems can force mouth breathing, increasing the risk of snoring.
  4. Sleeping Position: Sleeping on the back can cause the tongue and palate to collapse, obstructing the free flow of air and promoting snoring.

Effects of Snoring

Snoring can negatively impact the quality of life and health of both the snorer and their partner. Some potential effects of snoring include:

  1. Sleep Apnea: In individuals suffering from sleep apnea, snoring can disrupt the regular sleep cycle, leading to oxygen deprivation and more serious health problems.
  2. Daytime Fatigue: Interrupted sleep associated with snoring can lead to feelings of fatigue and lack of energy during the day.
  3. Health Problems: Some studies suggest that regular snoring may increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, arterial hypertension, and diabetes.

Treatment Methods

The treatment of snoring may involve various methods, depending on its cause and severity. Some of the most commonly used treatment methods include:

  1. Lifestyle Changes: For snoring caused by obesity, changes in diet and regular physical activity can bring significant improvement.
  2. Medical Devices: Devices such as nasal strips or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines can help keep the airways open during sleep.
  3. Surgery: In some cases, especially when snoring is caused by anatomical issues with the airways, surgical intervention may be necessary.

Summary

Snoring is a common phenomenon that can lead to a range of health and social problems. Understanding its causes and effects is crucial for effectively managing this issue. If you suffer from snoring, consult a physician for a professional assessment and treatment recommendations. With the appropriate steps, you can enjoy peaceful sleep and better overall health.

Population mobility in Europe is a significant aspect in terms of access to healthcare.

For many individuals traveling between countries, ensuring continuity of treatment or accessing high-quality medical services may be one of the main reasons for movement.This phenomenon, which includes both international migration and mobility within the European Union, poses new challenges for healthcare systems and requires flexible solutions.

Statistics

According to Eurostat data, in 2020 there were over 34 million migrants in the entire European Union, accounting for approximately 7% of the EU population. These numbers are significant, as the increase in intra-EU mobility poses new challenges for healthcare systems. Traveling individuals may need access to medical services in different countries, requiring coordination and continuity of care.

One of the main problems migrants may encounter is accessing healthcare without proper health insurance. Eurostat data indicates that the percentage of migrants without health insurance is particularly high in some European countries, such as Greece or Italy. Lack of insurance can be a barrier to accessing basic medical services and lead to neglect of health.

Mobility as a Motivating Factor

In this context, private health insurance becomes increasingly important for individuals traveling in search of healthcare. Private insurance can provide faster access to treatment, coverage of medical procedure costs, and the ability to use medical services on preferential terms. This is especially important in cases of sudden illness or accidents, where time is crucial.

Furthermore, population mobility can impact the burden on healthcare systems in destination countries. A high number of migrants can lead to increased demand for medical services, which in turn requires proper resource planning and budget allocation for healthcare. In such situations, it becomes necessary to ensure equal access to medical services for all residents, regardless of their migration status.

In summary, population mobility in Europe in the context of seeking healthcare presents both challenges and opportunities for healthcare systems. This requires action at the national, European, and global levels to ensure equal access to high-quality medical services for all travelers, regardless of their origin or purpose of travel. Private health insurance can play a significant role in providing comfort and certainty during travels for health purposes.

Coordinated Care as a Challenge for 2024

Author: Dr. Hab. Dorota Maśniak

Assisting in the fulfillment of wishes is necessary, and wishes for health are among those whose realization largely depends on decisions made by ourselves and entities responsible for the functioning of healthcare. It is a good time for planning. Healthcare should be associated with actions that protect our health, rather than fighting disease. In such efforts, allies are needed, solutions that support the challenging relationship between the patient and the doctor. The near future will show how helpful coordinated care will be in this regard.

Prepared Patient before a Visit to the Clinic

The philosophy of approaching the patient is changing. Currently, the patient visits the clinic when they feel they have a health need. Coordinated care reverses the situation. The coordinator assesses the patient’s health needs and, importantly for the entire healthcare system, rationalizes them. Health services are planned in advance. A healthcare plan is created, and its implementation is overseen by the coordinator.

Coordinated care has been in operation since October 1, 2021, and is gradually evolving. Primary healthcare facilities (PHC) can apply to the National Health Fund (NFZ) for an additional payment for the coordinator’s work. In the initial stage, the scope of their duties was limited to encouraging patients to participate in preventive programs. For example, in a medical facility, a list of individuals eligible for a specific program or health intervention is generated, and the coordinator’s role is to recruit patients. This includes inviting patients to the program, providing information about the program, and guiding patients on how to prepare for it. This approach provides an opportunity to promote preventive programs among patients, such as the Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Program, whose implementation level in the population is still low.

Holistic Coordinated Action of the Family Doctor

The introduction of coordinated care in a given clinic is still voluntary. From October 1, 2022, facilities can apply to the NFZ to expand the scope of services and enter into relevant agreements. The goal is to strengthen the family doctor and, consequently, relieve specialist doctors. Emphasis is placed on the diagnosis and treatment of the most common chronic diseases. In medically justified situations, the family doctor can prescribe tests that were previously reserved for specialists.

The selection of conditions covered by coordinated care is dictated by the frequency of occurrences. As part of a comprehensive individual consultation, a treatment plan can be established for patients diagnosed with diseases in the fields of cardiology, diabetology, pulmonary diseases, endocrinology, and, from December, nephrology. Importantly, the family doctor can order a thyroid function test, EKG, or heart ultrasound. The patient does not need to obtain a referral to a cardiology clinic. Based on the results, the doctor decides whether the patient can be under their care or if a referral to a specialist is required. Most patients will not need this because they are not so seriously ill as to require outpatient specialist care.

Treatment is based on an Individual Medical Care Plan, which considers not only conducting tests but also consultations between the family doctor and the specialist. It also includes additional consultations, for example, with a dietitian in the case of diagnosing diabetes. Each clinic that has joined coordinated care must offer dietitian consultations.

The coordinator is intended to support the patient-doctor relationship. This role can be fulfilled by a clinic employee. Their role is to assist the patient in implementing the treatment plan. The coordinator supports the patient, registers prescribed tests, and reminds them of appointments.

Barriers to the Development of Coordinated Care

It is estimated that around 30% of PHC clinics currently provide coordinated care. The most common problem is the availability of family doctors to specialists in a specific field, as the NFZ requires a specific specialist to be identified on the day of signing the coordinated care agreement. This touches on the issue of funding. Given the current valuations of healthcare services in some regions, it is difficult to recruit specialists.

The expansion of the family doctor’s competencies is not accompanied by appropriate remuneration. The lack of motivating elements for them to provide coordinated care is another problem. The same applies to assigning the role of coordinator to employees or hiring coordinators.

Coordinated Care and Private Health Insurance

Coordinated care is a guaranteed service within primary healthcare and is funded by the National Health Fund. Therefore, it is available to all patients, regardless of whether they have private health insurance.

In light of the barriers mentioned above, private health insurance can provide significant financial support for the development of coordinated care. Serving as a source of healthcare funding enables and improves access to specialists. It provides real financial relief for both primary and specialist healthcare and reduces waiting times for appointments.

On the other hand, the shift from “referral-based” to coordinated medicine poses a challenge for insurers in creating insurance conditions that are adequate to complement the universal healthcare system and serve as an effective source of funding.

The shift from treating diseases to health prevention aligns with the current trend of emphasizing the preventive function of insurance.

The author of the text is Dr. Hab. Dorota Maśniak, a professor at the University of Gdańsk.

She is currently also a member of:

The Management Committee of the Polish branch of the Association Internationale de Droit des Assurances (AIDA),

The Advisory Scientific Committee for the Financial Ombudsman for the term 2023-2026,

and the Program Board of Insurance Law.

Health Insurance as a Gift for the Holidays!

The holiday season is filled with hustle and bustle and various situations that can make our heads spin. However, it’s important not to forget about ourselves and our families in such situations. Don’t have an idea for a gift? Consider buying insurance. You can present it to your loved ones. Such a gift will undoubtedly prove to be very practical in the future because one never knows what tomorrow may bring.

During the shopping frenzy, it’s worth considering a gift that takes care of what is essential in wishes: safety and health. These two factors should be the most important regardless of the situations people encounter in their daily lives. Therefore, taking care of oneself and the family is crucial. The most comprehensive insurance can turn out to be of great value for health.

What about these presents?

53% of surveyed Poles have not bought a single Christmas present yet – according to a report by CBRE. 59% of respondents plan to buy gifts 2-3 weeks before the holidays – it was added.

Surprises under the Christmas tree for loved ones are prepared by 9 out of 10 Poles – according to a study by CBRE. It was indicated that 53% have not bought any presents yet, 31% have some, and 4% have already stocked up on all.

As reported, 59% of respondents go shopping for Christmas presents 2-3 weeks before Christmas, and 17% do so a week earlier. 3% of those surveyed buy presents two or three days before the holidays, and 6% buy presents “completely at the last minute.”

How much will we spend on Christmas presents? According to the Provident Star Barometer, men declared that they would spend PLN 813 on gifts and PLN 1107 on other purchases. Meanwhile, women planned costs of PLN 682 and PLN 820, respectively.

The best gift can be an investment in… health

Perhaps it’s worth focusing on… health this year? On a gift that will genuinely help loved ones and make the new year start with new energy and enthusiasm? Even financially, all expense bills may turn out to be more favorable with health insurance. So, if you are already familiar with the costs of potential classic gifts, compared to the policy, it will turn out that the cost of insurance will not only be more advantageous but can also be treated as an investment, not just a temporary gift, but even for many, many years!

All you need to do is find a good insurer who will present you with the most advantageous offers. Health insurance can be purchased individually or for the entire family. The latter option is very useful when we want to protect our marriage and children.

If you’ve already decided to purchase insurance as a holiday gift, you can be sure that you haven’t made a mistake because health insurance can be a smart move in the future. Every day we hear about many accidents, high treatment costs, and queues in healthcare facilities. You never know what the next day will bring, so it’s always essential to be cautious. With health insurance, you are covered not just for the holidays but all the time.

Pessimistic Outlook for Hospitals in 2024

The financial condition of county hospitals is very poor, evident in increasing operational losses and growing debts. The situation worsened due to the reform of the remuneration system for healthcare workers, which took effect in July 2022, with no corresponding increase in the valuation of services. Since then, the financial state of these institutions has been deteriorating.

The outlook for hospitals in 2024 is bleak. The increase in salaries for medical staff poses a significant problem.
“Unfortunately, the future prospects are also troubling,” says Krzysztof Żochowski, Vice President of the All-Poland Association of Employers of County Hospitals. According to him, in 2024, another remuneration adjustment for medical staff will come into force, and without changes to the valuation rules allowing for financing the raises, county hospitals will continue to accumulate debt.

“If nothing changes, the financial situation of hospitals will further deteriorate. Instead of allocating more funds to improve patient care, we will have to allocate an increasing portion to financial costs, interest payments, and expenses for untimely deliveries. The system will simply become destabilized, and then, something no one wishes for, the necessity to limit services, close wards, or even some hospitals will arise. It will simply lead to a catastrophe,” continues Żochowski.

According to the Supreme Audit Office, as of mid-2022, there were 313 county hospitals in Poland providing healthcare services financed by the National Health Fund (NFZ). In August 2023, the Supreme Audit Office published a report on the control of their activities from 2020 to 2022. The main problem hindering the functioning of county hospitals, as highlighted by the report, is their worsening financial situation, resulting in increasing indebtedness. As of the end of June 2022, the total obligations of county hospitals exceeded PLN 7.3 billion, with due obligations reaching nearly PLN 777 million.

The Supreme Audit Office also notes that the method of financing county hospitals was changed due to the declaration of a state of epidemic in Poland, causing a temporary improvement in their financial results and only clouding the true picture. In 2021, 16 out of 22 audited hospitals achieved a positive financial result. However, after the first half of 2022, only three entities recorded a net profit, while the rest (19 facilities) incurred a net loss. The audited hospitals faced significant challenges in balancing their operations and had delays in settling payments, resulting in the need to pay interest.

A true financial downturn for county hospitals occurred in the second half of 2022, driven by both growing inflation and overall cost increases, as well as the reform of the remuneration system for healthcare workers, which came into effect on July 1, 2022. As a result of this reform, the scale of minimum wage increases ranged from 17 to 41%, depending on the employee group.

As shown by a report prepared by the Association of Polish Counties and the All-Poland Association of Employers of County Hospitals in collaboration with SGH (“Financial Situation of County Hospitals in Light of the Amendment of the Act on the Determination of the Minimum Basic Salary of Certain Employees Employed in Medical Entities”), this further worsened the financial situation of county hospitals. Out of 211 surveyed facilities, 191 reported operational losses in 2022 (compared to 172 the previous year), and 151 reported net losses (compared to 112 the previous year). Their sales revenue increased by just over PLN 1 billion, operational costs increased by PLN 1.6 billion, and liabilities increased by over PLN 2 billion year on year.

“In the wake of decisions at the parliamentary and ministerial levels – otherwise justified, regarding increasing the salaries of our employees – precise increases in valuations must follow to enable us to pay these raises. If this does not happen, our financial situation will deteriorate,” says the Vice President of the All-Poland Association of Employers of County Hospitals.

For the vast majority of county hospitals, the change in the valuation rules for services (indicated in Recommendation No. 65/2022 of the President of the Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Tariffication from July 2022) did not allow for securing funds to finance mandatory raises and cover the rising prices of goods and services due to inflation.

“In the case of facilities that provide permanent emergency duty, the cost of readiness must also be taken into account. For county hospitals, provincial hospitals, and some others, this is a significant part of the costs. We do not know when a patient will appear, to whom we will have to provide services and then bill for them. We must be ready for this all the time. And this is a huge cost – the cost of the readiness of the block, hospital emergency department, diagnostic facilities, laboratories, imaging studies, etc. This should also be taken into account in valuations,” evaluates Krzysztof Żochowski.

As emphasized, the prospects for hospitals in the coming year are “troubling,” and their financial situation will likely continue to worsen – especially since another remuneration adjustment for medical staff will come into force in July 2024.

“The new government should, first of all, fairly pay for work and make an accurate valuation of services. In fact, it should read this valuation from the market because the government is not here to determine how much a person should earn and how much everything costs. The market creates such data, and mechanisms must be introduced that will provide the government with accurate knowledge on this matter and allow aligning state policy with this market diagnosis. Without a fair valuation of services, without fair payment for good work, there will be no well-functioning healthcare system in Poland,” emphasizes the Vice President of the All-Poland Association of Employers of County Hospitals.

What will be the impact on patients? An increasing portion of funds, instead of being allocated for better patient care, will have to be dedicated to financial costs, interest payments, and the costs of untimely deliveries. The system may become destabilized, and then there may be something that no one wishes for – the need to limit services, close wards, or even some hospitals. There may be a breakdown in public institutions – warns Żochowski.