Prof. dr hab. Irena PonikowskaProf. dr hab. Irena PonikowskaKatedra i Klinika BalneologiiKatedra i Klinika Balneologii i Chorób Przemiany Materii i Chorób Przemiany Materii

Akademii Medycznej w BydgoszczyAkademii Medycznej w Bydgoszczy

Polish Polish HHealth ealth RResorts during esorts during political changes in Central political changes in Central

EuropeEurope

Head:

Prof. dr hab. Irena PonikowskaProf. dr hab. Irena Ponikowska Leśna 3

87-720 Ciechocinek

tel. +48 54 283 3945

tel/fax +48 54 283 3915

e-mail: info@balneoklinika.com

www.balneoklinika.com

Clinic of Balneology and Metabolic Clinic of Balneology and Metabolic DiseasesDiseases

MMedical University in Bydgoszczedical University in Bydgoszcz, , PolandPoland

The principal activities of The principal activities of Clinic of BalneologyClinic of Balneology

Didactics

Research activity

Health service

Clinic of Balneology and Metabolic Clinic of Balneology and Metabolic DiseasesDiseases

Activities in Balneology and Physical Activities in Balneology and Physical Medicine Medicine

in in PolandPoland Clinic is a head office of Polish Balneological Clinic is a head office of Polish Balneological Consulting and Control ProgramConsulting and Control Program

Seat of Polish Association of Balneology and Seat of Polish Association of Balneology and Physical MedicinePhysical Medicine

It is a place where postgraduate education is It is a place where postgraduate education is curried on for the doctors from whole countrycurried on for the doctors from whole country

Clinic is an organization center of balneological Clinic is an organization center of balneological congrescongreseess

TTextbooks and extbooks and „„Polish BalneologyPolish Balneology”” jjournal ournal is is publishedpublished in Clinicin Clinic

Clinic acts as an expert of projects of spa law, Clinic acts as an expert of projects of spa law, indications, recommendationsindications, recommendations

We work up the medical standard in balneology We work up the medical standard in balneology

Polish iPolish institutions working on nstitutions working on health resorts problemshealth resorts problems

Polish Balneological Consulting and CoPolish Balneological Consulting and Control ntrol ProgramProgram (Head- prof. I.Ponikowska) Polish Association of Balneology and Physical Polish Association of Balneology and Physical MedicineMedicine Union of Polish SpasUnion of Polish Spas „ „Polish Spas” Chamber of CommercePolish Spas” Chamber of Commerce Spa Communes AssociationSpa Communes Association

POLISH SPASPOLISH SPAS

Types of Medical Types of Medical DepartmantsDepartmantsin Polish Spasin Polish Spas

Kamień PomorskiKamień Pomorski

• Health Resorts HospitalHealth Resorts Hospital

• Health Resorts SanatoriumHealth Resorts Sanatorium

• Health Resorts polyclinicHealth Resorts polyclinic

• Department of natural treatmentDepartment of natural treatment

Referring the patients to the Referring the patients to the medical health resorts treatmentmedical health resorts treatment

Preparing case history Preparing case history and sending to the and sending to the National Health FundNational Health Fund

Rem

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Doctor-specialist in Doctor-specialist in balneology and balneology and

physical medicinephysical medicine

Health Insurance Health Insurance DoctorDoctor (F.D.) (F.D.)

National National Health FundHealth Fund

PATIENTPATIENT

mailing of refers to the mailing of refers to the patient, or signing him to the patient, or signing him to the waiting queuewaiting queue

review, check and review, check and confirmation of documentsconfirmation of documents determination of date and determination of date and type of treatment type of treatment (hospital, sanatorium)(hospital, sanatorium)

Finances Finances ofof Health Resorts Health Resorts Treatment in PolandTreatment in Poland

National Health Fund- about 70%National Health Fund- about 70% Insurance Company –about 10%Insurance Company –about 10% Centers of Family Support- 5%Centers of Family Support- 5% Agriculture Insurance Company – 5%Agriculture Insurance Company – 5% Private patients- about 10%Private patients- about 10%

Condition of polish Condition of polish HHealth ealth RResorts esorts MMedicineedicine (1)- (1)-substantial resourcessubstantial resources

Natural resources: mineral water, healing gas, peloides

43 Health Resorts statutes 350 Health Resorts

Medical Departments Health Resorts devices

(salt graduation tower, walking taraces etc.)

Climate, landscape

Condition of Polish Health Resorts Condition of Polish Health Resorts (2 )(2 )

non material non material resourcesresources Medical, managers and other

professional staff Own medical specialization-

Balneology and Physical Medicine Polish Association of Balneology

and Physical Medicine, and the other spa associations

Research attainments Balneological methods and

programs existing in health resorts Publishing the own Polish Journal

of Balneology Working up medical standards in

Health Resorts

The principal activities The principal activities carried out in Polish Health carried out in Polish Health

Resorts Resorts

1. Treatment of chronic diseases in Health Resorts (hospital, sanatorium, polyclinic)

2. Health Resorts prevention

3. Balneorehabilitation

4. Health promotion

5. Spa tourism

Health Resorts Health Resorts privatization privatization in Polandin Poland (1)(1)

In In mymy OPINION (Prof. I. Ponikowska ) OPINION (Prof. I. Ponikowska )

Health Resorts privatization Health Resorts privatization almost every time decreasealmost every time decreasess

the the quality of medical quality of medical serviceservice ! !

Privatization in Polish Health Privatization in Polish Health Resorts (2)Resorts (2)

Present status Present status Only one health resort Only one health resort

was privatized in was privatized in PolandPoland

There are some There are some private hotels in private hotels in Health Resorts with Health Resorts with minimal medical minimal medical serviceservice

Private Spa-Nałęczów Zdrój

Private spa-hotel in CiechocinekPrivate spa-hotel in Ciechocinek

Our problem:Our problem:How to preserve spa medicine in Health How to preserve spa medicine in Health

Resorts in PolandResorts in Poland

Preservation of traditional Health Resorts medicinePreservation of traditional Health Resorts medicine

Improvement of financing by Improvement of financing by National National HealthHealth Fund Fund

Improvement of quality medicalImprovement of quality medical s serviceervicePreservation of conventional methods Preservation of conventional methods inin Health Resorts medicineHealth Resorts medicine

Research centers in Research centers in Balneology Balneology

Clinic of Balneology

Polish Association of Balneology and Physical Medicine

Some physical medicine departments in Medical Universities

Current activities in balneological Current activities in balneological sciencescience present state and present state and

requirementsrequirements

Research works and doctors thesis are curried out

Articles in polish journals are being published

International research works in EU structures should be curried out to work out EBM based treatment programsImproving quality of research works done and publish them more frequently in IF journals

Present statusPresent status Future requirementsFuture requirements

Research activities - Research activities - CongressesCongresses

International congresses of International congresses of balneology should be holdbalneology should be hold

in Polandin Poland Members of the Association Members of the Association

should be taking part more should be taking part more often in other international often in other international congressescongresses

Congress of Balneology is Congress of Balneology is hold every 2 years by hold every 2 years by Balneological AssociationBalneological Association

Members of the Members of the Association taking part in Association taking part in others medical congressothers medical congress

Present statusPresent status Future requirementsFuture requirements

Education Activities Education Activities specialization in Balneology and Physical specialization in Balneology and Physical

MedicineMedicine

There is a separateThere is a separates s pecialization for doctorspecialization for doctors- - balneology and physical balneology and physical medicinemedicine

Postgraduate educationPostgraduate educationtakes 2 years and can be takes 2 years and can be done by those who finished done by those who finished basic clinical specializationbasic clinical specialization

There are 450 specialists in There are 450 specialists in Balneology and Physical Balneology and Physical Medicine in PolandMedicine in Poland

Doctors in-trainingDoctors in-training

Association of Polish Association of Polish Balneology and Physical Balneology and Physical

MedicineMedicine

Members of Association- 650Members of Association- 650 Main activities of Association is Main activities of Association is

to held congresses, publish to held congresses, publish “Polish Balneology Journal” “Polish Balneology Journal” (Balneologia Polska), taking part (Balneologia Polska), taking part in education in balneologyin education in balneology

http://www.balneologia.maxi.plhttp://www.balneologia.maxi.pl

LeLeśna 3śna 387-720 87-720 CiechocinekCiechocinektel.:+48-54-283-tel.:+48-54-283-3945 3945 fax:+48-54-283-fax:+48-54-283-39153915

What goes wrong in polish What goes wrong in polish balneology nowdays (1) balneology nowdays (1)

Attempt to reduce medical services in Attempt to reduce medical services in Health Resorts, and to change them in Health Resorts, and to change them in recreation centersrecreation centers

Increasing amount and prosperity of Increasing amount and prosperity of nonconventional therapeutic methodsnonconventional therapeutic methods

Low level of accommodation serviceLow level of accommodation service Lack of modern health resorts lawLack of modern health resorts law

Too low financial support of the Too low financial support of the medical service from National Health medical service from National Health FundFund

Lack of specific research and didactic Lack of specific research and didactic center working for polish health center working for polish health resortsresorts

Too few specialists in BalneologyToo few specialists in Balneology

What goes wrong in polish What goes wrong in polish balneology nowdays balneology nowdays (2)(2)

1.1. These problems which polish balneology has These problems which polish balneology has to cope withto cope with,, I think are general for all spas I think are general for all spas in EUROPE so we should in EUROPE so we should work to work to solve them solve them togethertogether

2.2. Most difficult part is to find a Most difficult part is to find a BEST BEST way to way to solve them solve them

Thank You!Thank You!