Browse by Topic
Everything on this site, organised by subject. Each section below covers one part of the Polish healthcare system. Start wherever your current situation leads you.
NFZ Coverage
NFZ (Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia) is the organisation that finances public healthcare in Poland. Understanding what it covers, and what it does not, is the starting point for everything else.
Who is entitled to NFZ coverage
Employment-based coverage, voluntary contributions, EHIC entitlements for EU/EEA citizens, and how to check your current status.
What NFZ pays for
GP consultations, specialist visits, hospital treatment, diagnostic tests, maternity services, and subsidised medications. The broad picture of covered services.
What NFZ does not cover
Adult dental care beyond basics, optical services, some specialist access, cosmetic procedures, and private clinic charges. What falls outside the public system.
Medication reimbursement
How the co-payment system works, what the refundacja list is, and what you typically pay at the pharmacy for subsidised versus non-subsidised medications.
POZ: Primary Care
Your POZ doctor (lekarz POZ) is your main point of contact in the NFZ system. Most healthcare journeys start here.
How to register with a POZ doctor
The deklaracja wyboru lekarza form, what to bring, how to find an NFZ-contracted clinic, and what to say if no one speaks English.
Booking a POZ appointment
Calling, walking in, using online booking where available. What to expect at a first appointment and how the referral system works from there.
Changing your POZ doctor
When you can change, how many times per year at no cost, and what the process looks like when you switch to a new clinic or a different doctor in the same clinic.
SOR: Emergency Care
SOR (Szpitalny Oddział Ratunkowy) is the hospital emergency ward. Understanding when to go, what to expect, and how the triage system works.
When SOR is appropriate
The situations that warrant an emergency department visit versus those that should go to a GP or after-hours clinic. Clear guidance on the distinction.
What to expect at SOR
Registration, triage, waiting, treatment. The process from arrival to discharge, including what documents are helpful to have and how language barriers are typically handled.
After-hours primary care
Nocna i Świąteczna Opieka Zdrowotna: the after-hours GP service for evenings, weekends, and public holidays. The alternative to SOR for non-urgent situations outside business hours.
Prescriptions and Pharmacies
E-prescriptions have simplified the process considerably. Here is how the system works and what to do when you are at the pharmacy counter.
How e-prescriptions work
The four-digit code system, how to access your prescriptions through IKP, what the pharmacist sees when they enter the code, and how to share a prescription with someone else.
At the pharmacy without Polish
What to show, what to say, what the pharmacist needs from you, and what to do if a medication is out of stock or needs to be ordered.
Co-payments and reimbursement
How medication pricing works under NFZ, what "refundacja" means on a prescription, and what you pay at different reimbursement levels.
Teleplatforma and Digital Tools
Polish healthcare has a growing digital infrastructure. Knowing what tools exist and how to use them saves time and sometimes removes the need to visit a clinic at all.
Teleplatforma Pierwszego Kontaktu
How to reach the national telehealth service, what it can and cannot do, the language limitation, and practical workarounds for non-Polish speakers.
IKP: Your patient portal
Internetowe Konto Pacjenta gives you access to your prescriptions, referrals, medical history, and vaccination records. How to set it up and what you can do with it.
Profil Zaufany setup
The digital identity system that unlocks IKP and most other Polish e-government services. How to create one using your Polish bank account or in person.