Three county hospitals in the Podkarpacie region are in a catastrophic financial situation, with their combined debt approaching PLN 400 million. Without urgent help from regional authorities, the facilities face closure. The provincial government has developed a recovery plan that aims to reduce competition between hospitals and introduce centralized management. Experts warn that the debt problem of county hospitals is nationwide and requires systemic solutions.

Catastrophic Debt of Three Hospitals

Three county hospitals in Podkarpacie have a combined debt close to PLN 400 million, calling their continued operation into question.

Threat of Facility Closure

Without urgent intervention from local authorities and implementation of a rescue plan, the hospitals could be closed, worsening access to healthcare in the region.

Voivodeship Recovery Plan

The Podkarpackie Voivodeship Board has developed a strategy to reduce competition between hospitals and introduce centralized financial management.

A Systemic Problem

Experts indicate that the debt problem of county hospitals is not limited to Podkarpacie but is nationwide and requires reforms.

The financial situation of county hospitals in Podkarpacie has reached a critical point. Three facilities are struggling with a combined debt of nearly PLN 400 million. This amount is so large that without immediate assistance from local authorities, the hospitals could face closure. Basic medical services for the region's residents are at risk. The financial problems of county hospitals in Poland have their roots in the healthcare system reform of the late 1990s, when the process of transforming hospitals into independent public healthcare facilities (SPZOZ) began. In subsequent decades, many of these institutions struggled with chronic underfunding from the National Health Fund and rising costs of personnel and modern medical equipment. In response to the crisis, the Podkarpackie Voivodeship Board has prepared a rescue plan. Its key assumption is to limit competition between hospitals and introduce centralized management of finances and procurement. As officials emphasize, the goal is to create a system where facilities do not compete with each other for patients and funds, but cooperate for the good of the entire region. „Aby placówki nie konkurowały ze sobą, ale współpracowały, planujemy scentralizowane zarządzanie finansami i większą koordynację między szpitalami.” (To prevent facilities from competing with each other, but to cooperate, we are planning centralized financial management and greater coordination between hospitals.) — Source from the Podkarpackie Voivodeship Board 400 mln zł — combined debt of three Podkarpacie hospitals Public health experts warn that the problem of Podkarpacie hospitals is not isolated. Many specialists point to the systemic nature of the financial crisis of county hospitals across Poland. Underfunding from the NFZ, rising labor costs for medical personnel, and expenses for modern equipment and medicines are gradually pushing many facilities to the brink of bankruptcy. Without the introduction of systemic reforms that increase the efficiency of public spending and improve the funding model, similar crises will recur in other regions of the country. The provincial authorities hope that their recovery plan will become a model to follow, but its effectiveness will depend on the cooperation of all stakeholders and on additional financial support.