Poland primary healthcare faces clinic shortages and consolidation

Poland is facing significant shifts in its primary healthcare (POZ) landscape. National Health Fund (NFZ) data reveals that 248 medical entity contracts have disappeared over the last two years. This trend is particularly acute in rural areas and small towns, where local clinics are either closing or being acquired by large medical networks, often with foreign capital. Experts warn that this consolidation could lead to monopolies and increased medical exclusion for residents in areas with poor transport links. Factors contributing to this decline include an aging physician population and the low profitability of NFZ contracts in depopulating regions.

In contrast to the decline of local clinics, the coordinated care model in primary healthcare has expanded, covering 55 percent of facilities and approximately 23 million patients since October 2022. This program, which has seen total contract values exceeding 2.7 billion PLN, focuses on managing chronic diseases through individualized medical plans involving specialists, nurses, and dietitians.

Separately, health experts are calling for expanded RSV prevention for infants. In 2025, RSV infections led to nearly 15,000 hospitalizations of children under two years old in Poland, costing the healthcare system approximately 105 million PLN. Advocates are pushing for a comprehensive model that includes both reimbursed vaccinations for pregnant women and access to monoclonal antibodies for infants.