New rules for doctor appointments have come into effect. A revolution for millions of patients

• The Ministry of Health is working on launching Central e-registration throughout Poland
• It will be available as a pilot for a selected range of benefits until the end of the year. From January 2026 - it will be mandatory
• Facilities included in the pilot program can count on financial support

Central e-registration (CeR) is intended to make it easier for patients to register for specialist visits and diagnostic tests. It is currently being implemented as a pilot program, which includes:

• arranging first visits to the cardiologist,
• preventive mammography,
• preventive cytology.

As part of the central e-registration pilot, patients have the option - via the Patient's Internet Account (in the treatment plan section) or the mojeIKP mobile application (in the e-health - treatment plan section):

• arrange first-time visits to a cardiologist (referral required) and tests as part of preventive programs (mammography and cytology, no referral required),
• cancel and change appointments - without the need to contact the facility by phone or in person.

In addition, they receive SMS messages reminding them about their visit, which also allow them to cancel it.

The facilities included in the pilot program receive financial support in the form of:

• one-off funding to cover costs, including integration of IT systems with central e-registration,
• a monthly lump sum, calculated on the basis of the number of services provided and confirmed in the e-registration system.

Clinics and diagnostic laboratories that have yet to join the program and would like to do so must have:

• a concluded agreement with the National Health Fund for the scope of services covered by the pilot program,
• software enabling the handling of e-referrals and medical events,
• software meeting the technical requirements of central e-registration and an application to operate the pilot program integrated with the P1 System.

It will replace traditional doctor appointments

Last week, the Ministry of Health announced that it would extend the pilot until the end of 2025 (it was originally supposed to run until the end of June).

From 1 January 2026, all facilities providing services from public funds in the tested scope (cardiology and preventive mammography and cytology) are to be included in the central e-registration. Over time, the list of services covered by the CeR will be expanded. In 2026, the act implementing electronic registration is also to come into force. It imposes on service providers the obligation to integrate with the central e-registration in the scopes indicated in the implementing acts to the act.

In the future, e-registration will cover the full scope of services provided by the National Health Fund and will replace traditional registration.

However, the Ministry of Health has planned its full implementation for 2029, i.e. after the end of the term of the current government.

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