Coordinated care program in the Polish primary healthcare: insights into the early implementation

The Coordinated Care Program (CCP) was introduced in Polish Primary Healthcare (PHC) in October 2022. It promised a significant transformation in the country’s PHC system by integrating extended diagnostics and chronic disease management to enhance patient access to PHC and improve healthcare outcomes. Longitudinal analysis of their funding and service capacity to equitably address the patient needs and satisfaction is crucial in assessing whether CCP maintains its promises and value over time. The study outlines the results of the CCP outcomes two years after its implementation, by examining the PHC facilities’ participation rates in CCP, patient coverage, as well as patient satisfaction within the existing regulatory and funding framework. Following the principles of the Theory-Based Evaluation, the effects were assessed using a mixed-methods approach that includes a specially designed stakeholder survey, a desk research of the regulatory framework, and a secondary analysis of a nationwide patient satisfaction survey. Since its implementation, with a total of 640 million Polish Zloty allocated through steady monthly growth funding, there has been a consistent increase in the PHC’s adoption of the CCP across sixteen regions. By the end of 2024, 41% of the total 6053 PHC facilities were participating in the CCP. Eight regions outperformed the national average in expanding their diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities to meet patients’ needs in diabetology, cardiology, endocrinology, pulmonology, and nephrology. They achieved a very high level of patient satisfaction with the CCP (The overall Net Promoter Score was 75.46 (-100 to 100 range). To sustain the CCP program’s successes, it is necessary to reduce regional disparities in CCP accessibility, particularly in rural or economically disadvantaged areas. Follow-up assessment of whether the CCP efficiently met its objectives should consider the diverse needs of all patients involved.