Vision of the Future: NRL president to Kick off Meeting for doctors in training

- We have "why?" and "how?" - we have defined why we exist and what tools we will use in our work," he noted, adding that the mission of the local government is to represent the entire medical community, not just individual doctors.

The NRL president discussed the three main pillars of the vision of the future: "the patient of the future, the doctor of the future and the system of the future." In doing so, he pointed out that modern technologies, including artificial intelligence, are becoming an integral part of this process.

In the context of systemic changes, President Jankowski zoomed in on the local government's efforts to introduce a higher good clause to protect doctors from unjust criminal liability for unintentional medical errors.

- For us, the most important goal is that the doctor of the future should not be afraid to treat. We want the introduction of the higher good clause, that is, the abolition of criminal liability for unintentional medical error or causing an adverse reaction," he explained. He noted that 93 percent of the cases referred to the prosecutor's office are dropped, confirming the need for changes in the law to free doctors from an atmosphere of fear. Talks with the Ministry of Justice about the clause are underway, and President Jankowski is confident that it will come into effect later this year. In order to raise awareness and advocacy on the issue, the Medical Council has launched a public awareness campaign featuring actor Tomasz Kot, which shows the daily challenges and dilemmas doctors face under the current criminal law.

During his speech, the NRL president also touched on the importance of high educational standards, noting that many countries are facing a shortage of doctors, and Poland is no exception.

- All of Europe, including the countries with the largest number of doctors, those who have more doctors than we do, are also experiencing a shortage and are taking measures to increase their numbers, increasing enrollment limits for medical faculties. Demography is inexorable. In Poland, 30% of physicians are of retirement age, which puts us in a difficult situation, while at the same time it is impossible in this context to educate at any cost, even beyond the real needs, to the exclusion of quality," he assessed.

He also mentioned an initiative of the Medical Council - the NIL IN Network of Innovator Doctors, which already has 600 members, and was created to support doctors who want to participate in the digitization of health care and develop innovations. President Jankowski assessed that NIL is becoming a "hub for Europe," where everyone has a chance to contribute something of value to the system or receive expert assistance.

In conclusion, the NRL president recalled that as of January 1, 2025, the Code of Medical Ethics, amended by the National Congress of Physicians, will be in force, which includes the first provisions regarding AI in medicine. In his opinion, this demonstrates the progressive attitude of the Medical Council and is another step toward a future in which doctors will be able to use innovations, such as artificial intelligence, in their practice.