The functioning of health systems in Poland and the Netherlands in patients’ opinions

Abstract

Introduction and purpose of work. The health system aims is to safeguard the health needs and improve the health of the individual and in the community. Using the experiences of countries that achieve positive effects of the system functioning, exchange of knowledge and analysis of current results allows us to assess how the health care system can fulfill its potential. The aim of the work is to obtain information useful for health policymaking and implementation of effective solutions in health care by comparing the opinion of patients on the functioning of two health care systems in Europe - Polish and Dutch.

Material and method. The examination covered 133 persons living in Poland and 106 people living in the Netherlands. The applied testing method was a diagnostic survey. The tool used to conduct the study was the author's questionnaire.

Results and discussion. The study indicates large inequalities in access to medical services, waiting time for a GP and specialist appointment, the treatment of patients. Test results also indicate disparities between health care in Poland and the Netherlands, as well as the lack of cohesion of public and private sector in the Polish health care system.

Conclusions. Competitiveness of the market of medical services promotes improving the quality of services, ensuring a high standard of treatment as well as empathic and individual approach to each patient. So there is a need to further improvement and reforming the health care system in Poland to follow the changing market for health services.