Poland

See a general practitioner who has an agreement with the National Health Fund (Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia, NFZ). You can contact NFZ regional offices to obtain the contact details of healthcare providers that have an agreement with the NFZ. These providers can be identified by the NFZ logo. If you need a specialist, you can consult one if you have a general practitioner´s referral. Exceptions are gynaecologist, obstetricians, dentists, specialists in sexually transmitted diseases (venerologist), oncologists and psychiatrists, whom you can consult without a referral from a general practitioner.

When you show your European Health Insurance Card and ID at the appointment, the treatment is free of charge. General practice clinics are generally open from Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m to 6 p.m. Outside office hours, on weekends and public holidays, 24-hour medical treatment is provided by healthcare providers contracted to the NFZ. Their contact information is available from NFZ´s regional offices, or you can find it using a search engine on the NFZ website (in Polish).

See a dentist who has a contract with the NFZ. Present your European Health Insurance Card at the appointment.

Health insurance covers only a limited range of free dental care. In addition, only certain procedures performed by the dentist and the specific materials used are free of charge for patients. You can obtain a list of free services and materials, as determined by the Ministry of Health, from dentists’ offices. You must pay yourself for any services and materials not included in the list.

A prescription can be issued by a doctor or other healthcare professional entitled to prescribe medication.

For most basic medicines, you will pay a lump sum. Other medicines are reimbursed at different rates. Some medicines are not reimbursed at all.

In Poland, prescriptions are issued electronically. If you do not have a Patient Internet Account, you need to ask your doctor to print out the e-prescription information form and present it at a pharmacy together with your European Helath Insurance Card or another document entitling you to treatment.

In Poland, e-prescriptions are valid as follows:

• 30 days from the date of issue, or from the date in the “execution date from” field, if specified by the doctor (however, the prescription must be dispensed no later than 365 days from the date of issue).

Exceptions to the standard validity period include:

• 7 days for antibiotics
• 120 days for immunological medicines
• 30 days for medicines classified as narcotics or psychotropic substances

To be valid for one year, the e-prescription must include a specific annotation by the doctor. Note that if your e-prescription is valid for one year, you must purchase the first portion of the medication within 30 days from the date the prescription was issued. Medicines can be purchased for a maximum of 120 days of treatment. You can search for reimbursable prescription providers on the NFZ website (in Polish).

In Poland, you can also buy medicines with an electronic prescription issued by your doctor in Finland. You can purchase the medication by showing your passport or official identity card in the pharmacy. However, please note that not all medicines can be purchased abroad with an electronic prescription. Check the restrictions on the Kanta.fi website. You can apply for reimbursement from Kela afterwards.

In order to obtain hospital treatment, you generally need a doctor´s referral. In emergencies, you can go directly to a hospital´s emergency room (SOR). You will receive treatment free of charge at NFZ´s hospitals when you present your European Health Insurance Card and ID.

You will also receive ambulance transport free of charge with a valid European Health Insurance Card in case of an emergency.

If your illness requires you to use special transport when returning to Finland, you will be liable for the travel costs in their entirety. You are recommended to take out a travel insurance that covers these costs.

Remember to make sure that your patient data is transferred between countries. You can provide those responsible for your follow-up care or your health centre with the patient records concerning the treatment you received abroad. If the patient records need to be translated, you will be responsible for arranging that yourself.

In Poland, the standards for the quality and safety of healthcare and the ethical principles governing the provision of treatment are established by law. The Polish National Health Fund ensures that healthcare service providers in the public system comply with agreements. Comprehensive information about the quality and supervision of healthcare is available on the website of the Polish National Contact Point.

In the event of a treatment injury, the legislation and patient insurance of the country providing the treatment apply. If you are dissatisfied with the care you received, you should first try to resolve the matter directy with the healthcare provider. The Polish National Contact Point can help you find the appropriate authority if you wish to file a complaint.

Poland has a decentralized health system based on mandatory public health insurance. The stewardship, management, and financing of the system are shared between the Ministry of Health, the National Health Fund (Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia, NFZ) and territorial self-governments. The NFZ is responsible for financing healthcare services and contract both public and private service providers to organise care. Private service providers can also be accessed through the public system, provided they have a contract with the NFZ.

Private service providers are responsible for the majority of primary and outpantient care. Most inpatient care in hospitals and other institutions is provided by public operators, with the remainder delivered by private providers.