The presentation shows how the eHealth market and Health 2.0 is developing in Poland. It's as well a good context and background for those who are interested in eHealth market in Poland. The main question that I tried to answer making this presentation was: how Internet has became an important part of creating high quality in the health care system in Poland? The slideshow was prepared for Health 2.0 conference in Berlin (6-7 November 2012).

1. Health 2.0 in Poland: in search of quality
Artur Olesch
Polish Health Care Journal / Poland

2. „The biggest problem of eHealth nowadays is that
we are data reach but information poor...”
- Dr. Roger Wallhouse (eHealth Expert / Great Britain) -

3. Where are we now? - 38,5 mln habitants
- average age: 38,5 years (in 2050 – 51 years)
- +2,9% economic growth in 2012 (estimated
+2,1%/2,5% in 2013), meantime 0% in EU countries
- average income: 874 Euros gross/month/person
- unemployment rate: 12,4%
- 17 mln Internet users
- 50 mln mobiles / 47% smartphones
- ...and about 10% of them are iPhones
- 5,2 mln use Internet in smartphones
- 12,6 mln facebook accounts
- 91% GPs use Internet (=120 000 GPs)
- National Health System: centralised (National Health
Fund with 16 divisions)
- obligatory health contribution 9% of salary
- no private health funds and competition on the health
market (planned for 2014) but...
- private health sevices permanent growth (5% yearly = 8
mld Euros in 2012)
- 30% expenses for health in Poland are private – direct
payment or additional health insurances/ medical packages
- main problems: queues to specialists, low quality of
health care (paradox: quite high quality of medical
equipment), 10 minutes’ visit syndrome

4. Do we like it?

5. Do we like it?
Not satisfied at all
41%
QUESTION:
Are you satisfied how 78%
the Polish Health
Rather not satisfied
System works?
37%
Rather satisfied
(Opinion Poll / 2012)
18%
Satisfied
1%

6. RESULTS
Internet has become a
source of high quality health
services, trustworthy
information

7. When you are surfing in Internet, what
Health in Internet kind of information are you looking for?
93% Local/
international news
80% Health
75% Travelling
69% Humour / Jokes
51% Blogs
41% Seeking job
Source: GEMIUS, September 2011 / 12.419 Internet users

8. What’s your source of knowledge
Health in Internet about health, illnesses and cure?
88% Internet
73% Doctors
56% TV
53% Family
46% Friends
45% Books
Source: GEMIUS, September 2011 / 12.419 Internet users

9. If there is something wrong with your
Health in Internet health, where FIRST are you looking
for a feedback?
50% Internet
30% Doctors
13% Family
4% Books
3% Friends
Source: GEMIUS, September 2011 / 12.419 Internet users

10. When you are viewing health related
Health in Internet websites , what’s the main purpose?
53% Drug facts, a
composition of a drug
53% Diet, nutrition, vitamins,
32% Sport, fitness,
wellness, lifestyle
29% Treatments,
therapies, surgeries
23% My children’s health
22% Sexual life
Source: GEMIUS, September 2011 / 12.419 Internet users
14% Stress, mental problems

11. Internet is for me main source of
Health in Internet information about...
(health related answers)
73% Drugs’ effects
68% Addresses of GPs, clinics
44% Opinions about
doctors
44% Medical advice
14% Making an appointment
4% E-registration
Source: GEMIUS, September 2011 / 12.419 Internet users

12. Would you be interested in
Health in Internet e-appointment with a doctor
(chat, e-mail, skype)?
Yes, I do
60%
If Internet appointment with a
doctor would cost you 10 Euros,
would you be still interested in?
Yes, I do
Source: GEMIUS, September 2011 / 12.419 Internet users
58%

13. 800 websites about health in Poland
Patients are looking for a Doctors are looking for a
support in Internet support in Internet
Blogs, health forums, websites for patients, Medical databases, consultations,
lifestyle websites, health chat... with other specialists

14. 800 websites about health in Poland
Patients are talking about
doctors in Internet
Doctors’ rankings

15. National and european
eHealth Initiatives
e-Prescription
Start: 2014
National EHR
Start: 2014 (not realistic)
epSOS
Piloting phase

16. Will it be focused on health care
costs or my health?
Why does it
It takes years to make take so long?
a new technology Tests, piloting phase and
working... when will I be able to use it?
When? Promises...
How can I benefit? Will I get what I really need from
Will it really work? these eHealth tools?
Does it meet my needs?
Safety?

17. Private eHealth
- 20 years of experience
Initiative as an - rising acceptance after years of
answer... difficulties, lack of trust and
discussions about safety
- 1 mln health accounts created so far
- free of charge health account
- 65% pharmacies have already
joined the initiative (8500
pharmacies) + 2000 GP’s, clinics and
hospitals
- over 550 mln health transactions
registered in the system every year
- business reports for pharmacies,
market anylisis, National Health Maps
based on gathered data
- eHealth Magazine as an aducation
channel (11 000 copies monthly)

18. Conclusions
Unsatisfied people look for quality/support and
human-friendly health care in Internet. They find it in
many ways (blogs, patients’ websites, eHealth
services)
Poland’s economy growths constantly and it’s the best
time for Health 2.0 solutions’ providers to rollout. In
about 5-8 years the market will become more stable
Fast growing market fields: private health care
services (the fastest growing market in Europe, +7%
yearly, +5% in 2012), telemedicine and services for
seniors (ageing society process is quicker than in
other european countries), lifestyle and health
websites for young people
Crisis avoids health care market

19. Conclusions
After years of standstill, there is an eHealth boom in
Poland: 2 national projects are running (e-Prescription
and EHR) + private initiative like Nationwide Health
Care System
Data safety is important but it’s not the main topic.
Quality of service plays the biggest role
People require simply solutions and all-in-one instead of
viewing hundreds websites to find information
Healtcare is a sensitive business - most significant are
good relations, trust and dialogue with patients, doctors,
health organisations
Creating information instead of data and sharing it
makes business working (services for patients, services
for GPs and pharmacies, for society and system (f.e.
health maps)

20. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION!
Artur Olesch
Polish Health Care Journal / Poland
+49 151 41 81 46 91
aolesch@osoz.pl