The Ministry of Health wants to introduce a change important for patients from July. According to the project proposed by the ministry, the list of tests that can be ordered by family doctors is to be extended. What tests are on it?
The queues for specialist doctors are extremely long, and they are responsible for many examinations. The Ministry of Health wants this to change from July onwards — some of the tests could be ordered by family doctors.
A long way to health
First, a visit to the family doctor who will refer you to a specialist, so that only he can refer you for the necessary examination, and the result of which we must return to the specialist doctor — the path to getting into the examination is extremely long, and it takes longer to make a diagnosis and start appropriate treatment.
As of July, the Ministry of Health introduces changes that will shorten this process — GPs will be able to refer you for more tests.
GPs will be able to refer us to these tests:
Biochemical and immunochemical tests:
- ferritin (will help diagnose the causes of anemia)
- vitamin B12;
- Folic acid;
- anty-CCP;
- CRP — quick quantitative test (population up to 6 years of age);
- anti-HCV antibodies.
Stool tests:
- H. pylori antigen in faeces.
Microbiological testing:
- Strep-test (for detection of Streptococcus pyogenes in a throat swab — group A streptococci, responsible for most cases of strep throat)
Skeptical doctors
The president of the Zielonogórskie Agreement Federation, Jacek Krajewski, emphasizes in an interview for NaTemat.pl that he has some concerns about the project. — Taking into account our practice and how patients like to perform various types of tests, regardless of whether they are needed or not, the extension of the package will greatly strengthen the pressure of patients on primary healthcare — says.
He also has doubts whether it is the studies that were put on the list that should be there at all.
He adds that expanding the list will increase the number of examinations and visits to family doctors, which should be financially included, and it is not yet known how the research will be financed.
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