The Public Health Forum of the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers calls for the creation of a framework within Polish regulations for the use of solutions in the field of telemedicine, including teleradiology

Warsaw, 21st May, 2018

The Public Health Forum of the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers calls for the creation
of a framework within Polish regulations for the use of solutions in the field of telemedicine,
including teleradiology

The world is changing and so are our lifestyles which means that today’s society is exposed to a much greater extent to the so-called diseases of affluence. Their early detection is enabled, among other things, by modern diagnostic imaging. In Poland, there is a sufficient number of diagnostic apparatuses available and the available research indicates that the possibilities of this equipment are much greater than is their actual use. The reason for this situation are, first of all, the regulations in force imposing an obligation on physicians to directly supervise the course of the examination at an institution. The Public Health Forum of the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers is in favour of creating a framework in Polish law for the use of telemedicine solutions, including teleradiology.

The introduction of teleradiology to the Polish healthcare system will enable patients to have specialist examinations performed under remote supervision of a physician, who would not be able to reach them under traditional circumstances. This in turn will translate positively into an increase in tests executed and a decrease of people waiting for their turn to be examined.

The dissemination of teleradiology as a form of medical services requires detailed legal changes – appropriate proposals were drafted by the Public Health Forum.

“We are convinced that the dissemination of telemedicine in general, including teleradiology, is in the best interests of patients,” says Marcin Nowacki, Vice-President of the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers. “At the same time, it is a process that requires some involvement on the part of the legislator and amendments in a number of legal acts. We have prepared several concrete proposals of changes and we hope that they will be met with understanding and interest among key decision makers.”

The basic conditions for the provision of guaranteed services in the field of outpatient specialist care are described in the Regulation of the Ministry of Health dated November 6^th, 2013. Unfortunately, in this act, with regard to computer tomography and magnetic resonance, there is no mention of teleradiology. The Union’s Public Health Forum postulates that conditions for execution of services be supplemented in the scope of personnel – there should be an alternative for a specialist physician performing radiological patient supervision in the form of remote supervision over the examination.

At the same time, the Act of November 29^th, 2000, known as the Atomic Law, which does not explicitly describe teleradiology and radiological supervision, also requires an amendment. The Public Health Forum postulates to introduce to the Act a special power for the Minister of Health to specify, by regulation, the requirements and detailed rules for the implementation of a patient supervision system in X-ray diagnostics, in particular the separation of remote radiological supervision from direct supervision of the patient.

The Regulation of the Minister of Health of February 18^th, 2011, on the conditions of safe use of ionizing radiation for all types of medical exposure also needs to be amended. The Union’s Public Health Forum calls for a broader definition of teleradiology, as well as for setting minimum organisational conditions during the implementation of the service in a remote form. In the opinion of experts of the Public Health Forum, a definition of radiological supervision should also be added, which could be provided for both in person and remotely. It would also be necessary to consider the possibility of remote description of a medical examination.

“The implementation of the amendments that we are proposing will enable the commencement of services within the scope of teleradiology, which will constitute great progress for both medical institutions and patients,” says Marcin Nowacki representing the Union.

We invite you to watch the video prepared as part of the Public Health Forum of the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers “Telemedicine in Radiology”.

Photo. Jamison McAndie / for lic. Unsplash