Medical Care

Your health is very important. You should register with the Health Centre which is located on campus or any other health centre in the vicinity, soon after you arrive at the University. Of course, you will be helped with this by the Student Support team. Before your arrival, you should read the following information which comes from the official website of the Polish National Health Fund (NFZ) http://www.nfz.gov.pl and concerns the access to health care during a temporary stay in Poland:

If you are entitled to health care under EEA rules on coordination of social security systems, during a temporary stay in Poland you are entitled to receive free health care services, necessary on medical grounds, from health care providers who have concluded contracts for health services with the National Health Fund (NFZ). The information about health care providers who have concluded contracts with the NFZ is available in the competent regional branch offices of the NFZ. Facilities of these health care providers are marked with the logo of the NFZ:

logo

How do you get treatment by a general practitioner?

Go to a doctor who has a contract with the NFZ and show your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a replacement certificate. Primary health care comprises examination and consultation by a general practitioner. A doctor may also refer you to diagnostic tests, to a specialist or to a hospital.

Dispensaries are open from Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. After 6 p.m. on workdays, as well as on Saturdays, Sundays and on holidays 24-hour-care is provided by health units which have concluded contracts for this kind of services. They comprise out-patient care and home visits in case a patient's condition is serious. Addresses and telephone numbers of health units providing 24-hour-care are available in health care dispensaries.

How do you get treatment by a specialist?

You need a referral of a doctor who practises within the health care system. No referral is required to following specialists:

• obstetrician,
• dentist,
• dermatologist,
• venereologist,
• oncologist,
• eye specialist,
• psychiatrist,

and for following persons:

• suffering from tuberculosis,
• infected with HIV,
• war invalids and persecuted persons,
• addicted to alcohol, stupefacients and psychoactive substances - in case of addiction treatment.

Also, in case of a sudden illness, accident, injury, intoxication or life threat you will receive necessary medical benefits without a referral.

Go to a doctor who has a contract with the NFZ and show your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a replacement certificate.

How do you get treatment by a dentist?

Go to a dentist who has a contract with the NFZ and show your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a replacement certificate. Free dental services are available only in the restricted scope set out in the Regulation of the Minister of Health of 24 November 2004 (Official Journal 04.261.2601). A list of free services and materials is available in the dentist surgery. You will have to cover costs of over standard services and materials on your own.

How do you get hospital treatment?

You need a doctor's referral. In case of a sudden illness, accident, injury, intoxication or life threat you will receive necessary medical benefits without a referral.

Go to a hospital which has a contract with the NFZ and show your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a replacement certificate. During stay in a hospital operations, diagnostic tests and medicines are provided free of charge.

How do you get transportation to a hospital?

In case of an accident, injury, childbirth, sudden illness or sudden deterioration of the state of health call an ambulance (dialing 999 or 112) or go directly to a hospital, in particular to an accident and emergency department (SOR).

Ambulance transport in such cases is free of charge. Show your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a replacement certificate.

How do you get medicines?

A prescription can be issued by a doctor who practises within the health care system or a doctor who does not practise within this system, but has concluded a contract with the Fund authorizing him to issue prescriptions.

Show your prescription and your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a replacement certificate in a pharmacy.

Prescribed medicines can be purchased:

• for a lump-sum price (in case of basic medicines - 3,20 zł and in case of magistral preparations - 5 zł);
• for 30 or 50% of the price of a medicine (in case of supplementary medicines);
• for a full price - in case of medicines which are not included in the reimbursed drugs list.

Receiving free health care services on the basis of E 112 form.

After agreeing with the Polish health care provider about conditions and terms of benefit awarding, there is a need to submit a copy of E112 forms in a competent regional branch of NFZ depending on the seat of the health care provider.

Polish institutions involved in the coordination of social security systems in the field of health benefits in kind

Competent authority - The Minister of Health

Liaison body - the Central Office of the National Health Fund

Competent institution/ institution of the place of residence/ the place of stay - the National Health Fund acting through its regional branches.

Details of the liaison body

Centrala Narodowego Funduszu Zdrowia - Departament Współpracy Międzynarodowej

(Central Office of the National Health Fund - The Department of International Affairs)

ul. Grójecka 186
02-390 Warszawa
tel. +48 (22) 572 62 68
fax +48 (22) 572 63 19
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Details of the competent institution/ institution of the place of residence/the place of stay:

Śląski Oddział Wojewódzki NFZ

ul. Kossutha 13
40-844 Katowice,
tel. (32) 735 19 00, fax (32) 735 17 29,
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