About health at the Economic Forum 2020 in Karpacz

During the Healthcare Forum as part of the Economic Forum 2020, the following topics were discussed: on digitization of health care, problems in the care of palliative patients or the increase in the incidence of civilization diseases. However, none of the discussions took place without addressing the issue of the coronavirus epidemic, which put the healthcare system in Poland to a huge test.

The Polish health system versus the pandemic

During subsequent discussion panels, experts emphasized the problems that the Polish health system must face during the pandemic.

– There is no systemic thinking, there is no prediction. You think from elections to elections, but there is no plan for the next 10-15 years. Until now, it was clear during the epidemic that it was politics, not content, that was the deciding factor. In short: it was not evident that anyone was listening to infectious agents and epidemiologistsrather, politicians were listened to about what should be done – summed up the decisions made so far by Prof. Tomasz Grodzicki, Vice-Rector of the Jagiellonian University for Collegium Medicum and a long-term national consultant for geriatrics.

– There is a high probability that patients who have not been tested for various reasons will go to the hospital with advanced, disseminated cancer after the pandemic. At the moment, we have postponed death sentences – noted Szymon Chrostowski, president of the “Let’s Win Health” foundation.

– A big problem during a pandemic is the fact that some of them are sick does not go to the doctor for fear of becoming infectedor is too late. The postponed treatment procedures for chronically ill people translated into blockages in the queues for scheduled surgeries. – The queues have become longer and, unfortunately, we have examples of patients who died while waiting for treatment – said prof. Adam Witkowski.

Telemedicine during COVID-19

Telemedicine, which most Poles heard about thanks to the pandemic, was another issue that emerged regardless of the topic discussed by the panellists.

Experts emphasized the progress in the field of e-health that had been made in Poland in the last few months. It was pointed out that telemedicine is the direction of the future, but the computerization of the Polish health system still requires a lot of financial outlays, legislative changes and appropriate education – both for patients and medics.

Healthcare Forum – what was discussed?

Ten discussion panels were held during the Healthcare Forum. Experts – doctors, directors of medical institutions, scientists, as well as representatives of medical institutions and politicians discussed the most important issues related to the health of Poles and the functioning of the health service for two days.

Discussion panels as part of the Healthcare Forum 2020:

1. Is the Polish health service ready for the challenges it faces?
2. Business and medicine – how to effectively manage healthcare?
3. XNUMXst century epidemics – infectious diseases or diseases of civilization
4. How to optimize healthcare expenses?
5. Digitization of health care – a new opening of telemedicine and e-health
6. Challenges and directions in palliative care in Poland
7. Challenges of social policy in senior care
8. Is it profitable to pay little? – the role of medical professions in the system
9. Oncology: how to deal with the increasing burden during a pandemic?
10. Health protection in the age of COVID-19

The editorial board recommends:

1. How many healthcare workers in Poland have contracted the coronavirus?
2. What are patients complaining about during a pandemic?
3. Long-term symptoms of COVID-19 last for almost 3 months