Reports on the implementation of the Directive on the application of Patients' Rights in Cross-border Healthcare indicate that it had little impact on the numbers of patients seeking care abroad. We set out to explore the effects of this directive on health systems in seven EU Member States. Key informants in Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Malta, Poland and The Netherlands filled out a structured questionnaire. Findings indicate that the impact of the directive varied between countries and was smaller in countries where a large degree of adaptation had already taken place in response to the European Court of Justice Rulings. The main reforms reported include a heightened emphasis on patient rights and the adoption of explicit benefits packages and tariffs. Countries may be facing increased pressure to treat patients within a medically justifiable time limit. The implementation of professional liability insurance, in countries where this did not previously exist, may also bring benefits for patients. Lowering of reimbursement tariffs to dissuade patients from seeking treatment abroad has been reported in Poland. The issue of discrimination against non-contracted domestic private providers in Estonia, Finland, Malta and The Netherlands remains largely unresolved. We conclude that evidence showing that patients using domestic health systems have actually benefitted from the directive remains scarce and further monitoring over a longer period of time is recommended.

Introduction: The main challenge of modern hospitals is purchasing medical technologies. Hospital-based health technology assessments (HB-HTAs) are used in healthcare facilities around the world to support management boards in providing relevant technologies for patients.Aim: This study was undertaken to update the existing body of knowledge on the characteristics of HB-HTA systems/models in the selected European countries. Insights gained from this study were used to provide an optimal approach for implementing HB-HTA in Poland.Materials and methods: Firstly, we carried out a systematic review in PubMed and embase. Secondly, we searched for gray literature via the AdHopHTA online handbook and the design book of the AdHopHTA project, as well as literature describing healthcare systems provided by the WHO. Then, we conducted in-depth interviews with HB-HTA experts from four countries. Finally, we selected ten countries from Europe and prepared frameworks for data collection and analyses.Results: The selected countries (Switzerland, Spain, France, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Austria) are examples of decentralized or deconcentrated healthcare systems. In terms of HB-HTA, differences in organisational models (independent group, stand-alone, integrated-essential, integrated-specialised), type of financing (internally vs. externally), collaboration with an HTA National Agency and other stakeholders (e.g., Patients’ Associations) were identified. HB-HTA engages multi-skilled staff with various academic backgrounds and operates mainly on a voluntary basis.Conclusion: Strengths and weaknesses associated with various organisational models must be carefully considered in the context of support for decentralized or centralized models of implementation while embarking on HTA activities in Polish hospitals.

Background: Poland is witnessing a migration crisis caused by the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine. In addition to housing and necessities, 1.8 million Ukrainians that had taken refuge in Poland must have access to medical care. We aim to propose a strategy for implementing the changes in the Polish health care system in response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis. Methods: A literature review on organizational changes in the functioning of health care systems during the migration crises worldwide in recent years and brainstorming in order to develop a strategy for implementing changes in the Polish health care system in response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis. Results: The proposed strategy for implementing the changes in the Polish health care system is based on building health care resilience and adaptation to different crises. The operational objectives of organization-related activities are: (1) preparation of medical facilities to provide help for refugees, (2) development and implementation of the communication system, (3) implementation of available digital solutions, (4) organization of the diagnostic and medical services, (5) and implementation of changes in the management of medical facilities. Conclusions: Urgent reorganization is required to respond to an unavoidable increase in the demand for health care services.

European societies are ageing rapidly and thus health promotion for older people (HP4OP) is becoming an increasingly relevant issue. Crucial here is not only the clinical aspect of health promotion but also its organisational and institutional dimension. The latter has been relatively neglected in research on HP4OP. This issue is addressed in this study, constituting a part of the EU project ProHealth65+, engaging ten member countries. This paper is based on two intertwining research goals: (1) exploring which institutions/organisations are performing HP4OP activities in selected European countries (including sectors involved, performed roles of these institutions, organisation of those activities); (2) developing an institutional approach to HP4OP. Thus, the paper provides a description of the analytical tools for further research in this area. The mentioned aims were addressed through the mutual use of two complementary methods: (a) a literature review of scientific and grey literature; and (b) questionnaire survey with selected expert respondents from 10 European countries. The expert respondents, selected by the project’s collaborating partners, were asked to fill in a custom designed questionnaire concerning HP4OP institutional aspects. The literature review provided an overview of the organisational arrangements in different HP4OP initiatives. It also enabled the development of functional institutional definitions of health promotion, health promotion activities and interventions, as well as an institutional definition adequate to the health promotion context. The distinctions between sectors were also clarified. The elaborated questionnaires provided in-depth information on countries specifically indicating the key sectors involved in HP4OP in those selected countries. These are: health care, regional/local authorities, NGO’s/voluntary institutions. The questionnaire and literature review both resulted in the indication of a significant level of cross-sectorial cooperation in HP4OP. The inclusion of the institutional analysis within the study of HP4OP provides a valuable opportunity to analyse, in a systematic way, good practices in this respect, also in terms of institutional arrangements. A failure to address this aspect in policymaking might potentially cause organisational failure even in evidence-based programmes. This paper frames the perception of this problem.

The Act of 12 May 2011 on the Reimbursement of Medicines, Foodstuffs Intended for Particular Nutritional Uses and Medical Devices constitutes a major change of the reimbursement policy in Poland. The main aims of this Act were to rationalize the reimbursement policy and to reduce spending on reimbursed drugs. The Act seems to have met these goals: reimbursement policy (including pricing of reimbursed drugs) was overhauled and the expenditure of the National Health Fund on reimbursed drugs saw a significant decrease in the year following the Act's introduction. The annual savings achieved since then (mainly due to the introduction of risk sharing schemes), have made it possible to include new drugs into the reimbursement list and improve access to innovative drugs. However, at the same time, the decrease in prices of reimbursed drugs, that the Act brought about, led to an uncontrolled outflow of some of these drugs abroad and shortages in Poland. This paper analyses the main changes introduced by the Reimbursement Act and their implications. Since the Act came into force relatively recently, its full impact on the reimbursement policy is not yet possible to assess.

The waiting lists package, proposed in March 2014, is the first attempt to create a national strategy to reduce waiting times for specialist care in Poland. The policy proposes a number of measures directed at primary, specialist ambulatory and hospital care with the goal of shifting patients to the lowest possible level of care. Initially, it has been welcomed by the patients and there has been, so far, no strong opposition against the reform from other stakeholders. However, this may be because there is some disbelief that the policy would actually be implemented (due to limited funding available for its implementation) and because some of the proposed changes are vague and have yet to be clarified. One stakeholder group that may obstruct the implementation of the reform, if they are not satisfied with the final shape of the proposed measures, is the primary care doctors. They are directly affected by the reform and enjoy a relatively strong bargaining position compared to other groups of medical professionals. Thus, the future of the reform remains uncertain.