"Safety and quality in health care" – conference of the Patient Ombudsman and the UCC

4.04.2023

The University Clinical Centre together with the Patient Ombudsman organized the conference Patient Safety and Quality in Healthcare, which took place on 31st of March 2023 with the participation of key decision-makers in Polish health care. During the meeting, for the second time, the subject of the currently processed act on quality was discussed. The issues of communication with the patient, adverse events and the role of medical students in the work of the hospital were also discussed. The talks at the clinical hospital of the Medical University of Gdańsk were attended by, among others: Minister of Health Adam Niedzielski, Patient Ombudsman Bartłomiej Chmielowiec, President of the National Health Fund Filip Nowak, Rector of the MUG Prof. Marcin Gruchała and the General Director of the UCC Jakub Kraszewski. In addition to the above-mentioned persons, the discussion was also attended by Piotr Bromber, Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Health.

The event was opened by representatives of the organizers of the meeting.

– Quality results mainly from our beliefs that we should act carefully, not because someone forces us to do something, but because it is necessary – said Director Jakub Kraszewski. – You have to strive for perfection, although we know that the perfection of black and white is unattainable. However, we must still be careful not to lose our pro-quality vigilance.

Bartłomiej Chmielowiec spoke about the act on quality in health care, which is at the final stage of proceedings.

– For the first time, the patient is treated subjectively, for the first time we clearly say that quality can and should be measured, that apart from the provision of a health service, it is extremely important how this service is offered to the patient, how it is delivered. How the patient is treated in the facility – said Bartłomiej Chmielowiec.

After the hosts of the event, the Minister of Health, Adam Niedzielski, took the floor, emphasizing how great a revolution in the philosophy of health care the solutions proposed in the aforementioned act introduced.

– At the moment, the National Health Fund pays for the procedure, regardless of how it is performed, regardless of the quality parameters associated with the procedure; regardless of whether the patient is satisfied with the way it was carried out. We want payments to be related to quality, so that those entities that try do not do it as a hobby. This is a change of philosophy – we are starting to pay for quality, not for the procedure performed – added Minister Adam Niedzielski.

– The efforts made over the last years are beginning to bear fruit. Thank you for being here today to change this world of quality for the better, whether for internal needs, or for the need to regulate the system, or for the need for our health facilities to receive better funding, because they will care about quality – empasized Prof. Marcin Gruchała, Rector of the MUG. – Regardless of the intention that brings us here, we all benefit from it.

The entire conference was divided into four panels. The first of them explores the subject of the aforementioned act, emphasizing the current state in Poland and how much it can change in the functioning of medical facilities.

The second panel concerned communication between the medical staff and the patient. The importance of humanization of the medical process and a human approach to the patient was emphasized. The third panel addressed the issue of adverse events and how important they are in the quality building process. In the last one – education at medical universities was discussed. It was emphasized that the involvement of students in hospitals brings mutual benefits – it allows them to gain practice in the medical environment. On the other hand, from the perspective of hospitals – it gives the opportunity to recruit an employee who can be a support for qualified staff in the simplest activities. Lecturers and participants in the discussion were representatives of the world of science, public party, patient organizations, medics, lawyers and representatives of healthcare entities.

The conference Safety and quality in health care enjoyed great interest both in the stationary form and via the online broadcast. According to the organizers’ announcements, it will be held again next year. The Polish-language broadcast is available below.