Poland's primary care faces consolidation and rating portal scandals

Doctors in Poland are increasingly selling primary‑care (POZ) clinics to large medical groups and investment funds. Large operators such as Medicover, which runs over 20 POZ sites, and NEUCA Group, with nearly 90 owned centres and thousands of partner facilities, argue that consolidation improves coordination, access to diagnostics and administrative support for physicians. The Ministry of Health, however, is beginning to examine the trend and plans new regulations to monitor the scale of transactions, especially when foreign owners are involved, warning that excessive concentration could reduce competition and diminish state control over a strategic part of the health system.

At the same time, the online doctor‑rating platform ZnanyLekarz.pl has been accused of conflicts of interest and commercial practices that undermine trust. Investigations claim the portal sells positive reviews, creates profiles without doctors' consent, and pressures physicians over negative ratings, prompting lawsuits and public criticism. Experts see both developments as part of a broader move toward privatisation of health services, raising concerns about transparency, patient protection and the need for stricter oversight.