Will the coordinator disappear from POZ facilities? As of July 1, the end of the supplement...

Patient pathway

In the traditional model, patients see their family doctor, receive referrals for tests and specialists, and then make their own appointments and receive results. The lack of a central person overseeing the next steps in treatment often results in stress, uncertainty and delays in treatment as the patient tries to figure out the maze of procedures and appointments. He also often fails to report for further tests or consultations, resulting in a worsening of his condition.

The role of the care coordinator

The care coordinator performs a logistical and organizational function. Thanks to his knowledge of medical procedures, he easily arranges examinations, follow-up appointments, reminds the patient to pick up the results and explains the GP's recommendations. He monitors the implementation of the therapeutic pathway and provides support in situations that are unclear to the patient. With regard to people with diabetes, heart disease, hypertension or chronic kidney disease, the coordinator ensures that all necessary procedures are carried out on time, acting as a director who oversees the course of the various "scenes" of therapy.

"The coordinator provides reliable support to the patient in daily treatment challenges. It allows family physicians to focus on medical decision-making rather than an excess of administrative duties. If this role is eliminated, it will be very difficult for us to logistically bundle coordinated care and the My Health program by involving the remaining staff at the PCPs. Given the staff shortages, this will certainly have a negative impact on the health of our patients." - Dr. Wojciech Pacholicki, vice president of the Zielonogórski Agreement and a family physician, points out.

Benefits for all system participants

The patient gains time savings, stress reduction and a sense of support, which affects the comfort of treatment. The family doctor avoids excess organizational responsibilities, being able to devote more attention to key medical decisions. The clinic, on the other hand, gains better work organization and optimization of resources. From the system's point of view - coordinated care translates into shorter queues to specialists and reduced costly hospitalizations, which in the long run results in significant savings.

"The coordinated care model, introduced in primary care clinics as of October 1, 2022, has received a very positive response from patients from the beginning. In a survey conducted by our foundation in 2024, 91 percent of respondents confirmed that the coordinator significantly facilitated access to examinations and specialist consultations, 97 percent expressed satisfaction with the quality of the support they received and 95 percent of respondents felt that their individual needs were fully taken into account in the treatment plan," argues Magdalena Kolodziej, president of the We Patients Foundation. "These unequivocal findings show that the role of the coordinator is not just to streamline the process, but to provide real support for the patient - which is why we are calling for this function to be maintained." - She adds.

Patient's responsibility for his own health

The effectiveness of coordinated care also requires an active attitude on the part of the patient. Regular attendance at scheduled appointments, reliable communication of health information and strict adherence to medical recommendations are crucial. An important element of therapy support is the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, adequate physical activity and attention to sleep hygiene. Only in such a model does the comprehensive support of the health care system produce optimal results.

Funding prospects

The allowance to fund the coordinator function will be taken away as of July 1. As a result, many clinics may be forced to abandon this form of patient assistance, despite the documented benefits for all participants in the treatment process. The Zielonogórska Porozumienie Zielonogórskie strongly urges that the available data be re-analyzed and a decision be made to allow the continuation of funding for the coordinator function, which will further improve the quality of care and the efficiency of the system.

Source: PZ