Polish health care system one of the worst in Europe

source: Euro Health Consumer Index 2012 report

Poland has slipped one place in the EHI from the last report issued in 2009 by the Swedish-based Health Consumer Powerhouse think-tank.

The report, presented to the European Parliament on Wednesday, finds that the Netherlands has the best health system ahead of Denmark, Iceland, Luxembourg and Belgium.

Only Hungary, Albania, Macedonia, Latvia, Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia rank below Poland in the index.

Other countries close to Poland's borders have improved performance, says the report, with the Czech Republic being called a “star performer” by the new HCI, moving from 17th to 15th in the index.

The EHI finds that Poles have one of the worst access to the most up-to-date drugs, have one of the highest mortality rates from cancer and one of the longest waiting times for an appointment with a doctor or treatment at a hospital.

The EHI ranks 34 European health care systems on 42 indicators, such as patients' rights, accessibility of treatment, range and reach of services provided and quality pharmaceuticals.

Dr. Arne Bjornberg, director of Health Consumer Powerhouse who presented the report to the European Parliament yesterday, said that Poland was among the few countries in Europe which has not improved its standards of health care in the two years since the last EHI was published. (pg)