Poland expands central e-registration for medical appointments from August 1

Poland is enhancing its digital healthcare infrastructure with further expansions to its central e-registration system, effective August 1. This move aims to improve patient access to specialists and simplify appointment scheduling across the country.

Starting August 1, patients will be able to book their first appointments with a wider range of specialists through the central e-registration. This includes consultations with angiologists, infectious disease specialists, endocrinologists, hepatologists, immunologists, nephrologists, neonatologists, and pulmonologists. These additions follow earlier changes implemented on July 1, which brought mammography, HPV HR tests, and first cardiology visits under the e-registration umbrella.

Facilities failing to comply with the e-registration mandate from July 1 onwards risk not having their services financed by the National Health Fund (NFZ). The central e-registration system, operational since January 1, 2026, allows online booking for various medical examinations and specialist visits. Its core objectives are to boost the availability of medical services and make the registration process more user-friendly. Patients benefit from access to a national database of available appointment slots, the ability to easily reschedule or cancel appointments, and receive SMS or email reminders.

The system also features a "waiting list" service, which automatically books patients into appointments as soon as a suitable slot becomes available. Patients can engage with the system online via the Patient Internet Account (IKP) or the mojeIKP app, or traditionally by phone or in person at a healthcare facility, where staff can register them on their behalf. The central e-registration is part of a broader healthcare reform package announced on July 8 by Health Minister Jolanta Sobierańska-Grenda, which prioritizes the accelerated implementation of digital tools to enhance patient safety, reduce fraud, and ensure transparent access to services. The ministry aims to cover all 39 specializations within the e-registration system by the end of 2027, at a pace twice as fast as initially planned.

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Jednym z najważniejszych elementów pakietu jest przyspieszenie wdrażania nowych narzędzi cyfrowych, które zwiększą bezpieczeństwo pacjentów, ograniczą ryzyko nadużyć i zapewnią transparentny dostęp do świadczeń. Centralna e-rejestracja obejmie wszystkie 39 specjalizacji do końca 2027 roku, i to w dwukrotnie krótszym czasie niż planowano