Coordinated Care: the new model in primary health care in Poland—Implementation and early trends

Introduction: This narrative review explores the development and implementation of Coordinated Care (CC) within Primary Health Care (PHC) systems in Europe, with a focus on Poland. CC aims to provide continuous, integrated, and patient-centered care, particularly for individuals with chronic conditions. Methods: By analyzing PHC models across 13 European countries, the review highlights variations in the scope of services, roles of primary care teams, and the integration of diagnostic and specialist support. Results: In Poland, a CC model was introduced nationally in 2022 following a successful pilot. It emphasizes enhanced roles for general practitioners, nurses, and care coordinators, and includes comprehensive consultations, individual health care plans (IHCPs), and expanded diagnostic access. Data from public sources from 2023 to 2025 show growing provider participation and improved diagnosis rates, particularly for chronic kidney disease. Discussion: The Polish model demonstrates that systemic reforms based on PC team collaboration and fee-for-service financing can be a way of strengthen PHC systems by better resource utilization. While early results are promising, further evaluation is needed to assess long-term outcomes and guide adaptations in other healthcare settings.