“The voice of patients is increasingly being heard in the healthcare system,” says Bartlomiej Chmelovec, Ombudsman for Patients’ Rights. As he emphasizes, patient organizations play a major role in this, often unburdening the public sector.
Their importance and patient safety will be further enhanced by the law on quality of care and patient safety currently being drafted, which has already been submitted to the Standing Committee of the Council of Ministers.
Patient organizations in healthcare
A study commissioned by the Institute for Patients’ Rights and Health Education before the COVID-19 pandemic showed that there were about 5.3 thousand active people in Poland. organizations working in the healthcare sector, of which about 1 thousand are organizations focused exclusively on activities for patients. They often offload the public health system, such as raising funds for non-reimbursed treatments or running extensive preventive health promotions.
- I can’t imagine the creation of a healthcare system and its reform without organizing patients, - emphasizes Bartlomiej Chmelovec in an interview with Newseria Biznes. - Their role is to support, advise, advise on legislative projects and present their proposals on what needs to be changed. These are also preventive measures, and here many patient organizations have great merits, especially in the prevention of cardiological, oncological and other diseases of civilization. This is a matter of education, coverage of patients, citizens.
Real Social Change
Active patient organizations contribute to raising public awareness of prevention and healthy lifestyles. However, a study commissioned by the LB Medical Institute (Patient Organizations in Poland) shows that much remains to be done in this area. Although 75 percent Poles believe that non-governmental organizations that act for the benefit of patients are needed, and 45 percent think so. contribute to changes in the health system, as much as 66 percent. cannot spontaneously identify any of them. At the same time, only 14.5 percent. Poles have ever turned to such an organization for help in case of illness of them or their loved ones.
- Of course, we would like the voice of patients in the system to be even stronger, so that we could build such a “patient-centered” healthcare system - patient-oriented and responsive to challenges, including those related to the pandemic or the crisis in Ukraine. To this end, we must listen to the voice of patients and patient organizations, which are mirrors of needs. They are the closest and know best of all what needs to be done, what needs to be changed, where the system works well, and where changes are needed. says the Ombudsman for Patients’ Rights.
It is important to note that more and more European countries are realizing the benefits of involving patients and their organizations in the processes of joint development of public health policy. As shown in last year’s report “The Role of Patients’ Organizations in Health Systems in Poland and the World” prepared by the Academy for the Development of Patients’ Organizations PATJENCI.PRO, this direction was chosen, in particular, by the United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland, Australia and the Czech Republic, where in recent years a number of solutions have been introduced to ensure that patient organizations continue to participate in shaping the country’s health policy.
“In order to strengthen the voice of patient organizations, we must give them the right to make decisions on some issues, place patient organizations in various types of institutions, invite them to make decisions,” says Bartlomiej Chmelovec. - For example, the Patient Quality and Safety Bill currently being processed suggests that the patient will be able to appeal the decision of the IPC to provide a compensatory benefit to the Appeals Board. This committee will include representatives of patient organizations, and they will be the largest number. This is an example of how to involve patient organizations in the healthcare system, in decision-making and important issues.
Draft law on quality in healthcare and patient safety
The draft law on quality in healthcare and patient safety has already been submitted to the standing committee of the Council of Ministers. The new regulation provides, in particular, for the creation of the Register of Adverse Events, that is, the all-Russian secret database of medical errors, and new tools for the legal protection of relevant patients. According to the proposed solution, the patient will be able to contact the Ombudsman for Patients, describe their situation and make a complaint, and the role of the ombudsman is supported by a team of experts, experts and specialists in various fields of medicine. - will be to determine whether an undesirable medical event actually occurred. If the proceedings confirm this, the MPC will submit a proposal for compensation, which must be carried out within three months. It is thanks to this decision of the IPC that the patient will be able to apply to the aforementioned appeal commission.
- The second point, very important for strengthening the voice of patient organizations, but at the same time difficult, is the issue of building a certain financial sustainability of patient organizations: think about involving patient organizations in various activities funded, for example, from European projects, educational or preventive measures, - says the Ombudsman for Patients’ Rights.
Patient Organization Council
Since 2020, MPC has had a Patient Organization Council whose tasks include, among other things, providing the voice of an advisory representative and issuing opinions on legislative drafts. It currently includes representatives from almost 115 patient organizations, including many umbrella organizations (i.e., bringing together dozens of smaller organizations scattered throughout Poland).
- The aim is to amplify their voice and support these small organizations so that they can learn from more experienced ones, for example, how to function in the health system or how to raise financial resources for their activities, for example, within the framework of European projects, - says Bartlomey Khmelovets.
Patient Organization Board since March of this year. he also works for the Ministry of Health. It has 15 members and was established for five years. Its tasks, in accordance with the decree of the Minister of Health, include, in particular, coordinating activities in the field of preliminary consultations and consultations on draft legal acts carried out by the Ministry, issuing opinions on them or initiating amendments to regulatory acts in the field of health protection.
Source: Wprost
