INTEGRATED COORDINATED CARE IN POLISH PRIMARY HEALTH CARE: AN INNOVATIVE DIAGNOSTIC MODEL BRIDGING PRIMARY AND SPECIALIST SERVICES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.2(50).2026.5670Keywords:
Primary Health Care, Coordinated Care, Diagnostics, NFZ, Chronic Diseases, PolandAbstract
Primary health care (PHC) serves as the fundamental point of contact between patients and the healthcare system, playing a critical role in the prevention, diagnosis, and management of chronic diseases. This paper analyzes the Coordinated Care model in PHC (OK-POZ), introduced in Poland after 2022, as an innovative systemic solution that enables general practitioners to order diagnostic tests previously available exclusively at the specialist outpatient care level (AOS). The model encompasses five clinical pathways — cardiology, diabetology, endocrinology, pulmonology/allergology, and nephrology — and is anchored by the Individual Medical Care Plan (IPOM). The implementation of OK-POZ reduces the time from first consultation to diagnosis, decreases unnecessary specialist referrals, and lowers long-term hospitalization costs. However, significant challenges persist, including geographic inequalities in access to services, physician workforce shortages, and the lack of unified health information systems. Properly designed diagnostic algorithms within PHC substantially improve early detection of conditions such as diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular disorders.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Weronika Spychalska, Paulina Sumlet, Aleksandra Krawczyk, Kornelia Kaźmierkiewicz-Makanga, Wiktoria Kurasińska, Filip Witowicz, Julia Glińska, Wiktoria Waldon, Katarzyna Kardas, Nikodem Szymczak
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