Changes coming to Poland’s NFZ: Patients to receive SMS reminders for procedures

Polish patients waiting for certain hospital procedures will soon receive an SMS reminder from the National Health Fund, as the fund takes a more direct role in monitoring appointments. The changes will begin on October 1 under a regulation that has already entered into force, with some exceptions.

The NFZ will centrally monitor admission schedules for 15 procedures, including coronary angiography, the implantation or replacement of single- and dual-chamber pacemakers, brain neurostimulator implantation, vagus nerve stimulation, knee arthroscopy and ligament reconstruction. The list also includes tonsil removal, nasal septum procedures, thermolesion, carpal tunnel surgery, inguinal hernia surgery, varicose vein removal and bunion surgery.

The schedules will be added to AP KOLCE, the NFZ’s electronic system for registering and managing waiting lists nationwide. Hospitals and clinics currently maintain schedules for these procedures in their own information systems. The regulation’s justification says using AP KOLCE will give the NFZ current national data on waiting times and the number of people waiting for each service.

The fund will also be able to monitor whether waiting lists are being handled correctly, analyze waiting times in detail and eliminate cases in which the same person is registered more than once for the same service. A further 10 procedures will require providers to maintain separate schedules, including endoscopies of the intestines, pancreas, esophagus and stomach, spinal implant procedures and gallbladder removal.

The regulation also changes reporting requirements for medical staff. Records will include the PESEL number of the person providing the service alongside the identifier linked to that person’s profession. The stated aim is to ensure clear identification and prevent providers from reporting the same person as delivering services simultaneously at different facilities.