How to quickly make an appointment with a doctor? You don’t have to wait forever

This is the website terminyleczenia.nfz.gov.pl. Many people who use it have found that the search engine allows them to find free dates for specialists much faster. In addition, thanks to this website, we can save a lot of time, unnecessary phone calls, personal visits to the clinic and, above all… nerves.

Where can I book a free appointment with a National Health Fund doctor?

The search engine operates on behalf of the National Health Foundation. It receives data from medical institutions throughout Poland (those that provide services within the fund). Hospitals and polyclinics are obliged to inform the voivodeship offices of the National Health Fund (NFZ) every week about free dates. In the search engine on the site terminyleczenia.nfz.gov.pl we can check how fast we can get not only to a medical specialist (for example, by an ophthalmologist, laryngologist, or gynecologist), but also for specialized examinations such as magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography.

Dariusz Celak, director of the Analysis and Innovation Department of the National Health Fund, mentioned this decision on the Wprost portal in an interview with Katarzyna Pincos. When asked if there was anything the patient could do to expedite the appointment in case of an urgent need to see a doctor, he replied:

“Most often we choose clinics and doctors we know. In the meantime, check the website of the National Health Fund for a guide to treatment dates (www.terminyleczenia.nfz.gov.pl), where medical institutions provide information on available dates. These are approximate dates for the first visit, so it is best to call the clinic of interest. director Dariusz Celak said. He added that he also recommends telephone to the National Health Fund’s toll-free hotline (800 190 590). Consultants specify free dates and indicate the institution where we can receive treatment earlier.

How does the meeting search work?

Go to terminyleczenia.nfz.gov.pl. They will appear on the site. two choices: “stable case” and “urgent case”. Check your referral to see if it says “cito” or “urgent”. If there is such an annotation, select the “urgent” option. If the doctor has not decided that you should be admitted to the hospital as soon as possible, select the “stable” option. Attention - over time, a polyclinic or polyclinic employee will check your referral, so provide reliable information about your health status. If you do not need a referral to a doctor, decide for yourself which option to choose. If you would like to enroll a child, please select the option “benefits for children”.

Then you need to provide information about which doctor you are going to see. In the field “what benefit are you looking for?” enter at least 3 letters. The system will offer a selection list. Select one of the offers you are interested in and click “search”. You will see where you can most quickly get the help of a specialist. If you are interested in a specific location, please select the province and city. You can also select a specific clinic, hospital department, specialist clinic or diagnostic laboratory. The place where you will be accepted the fastest will always be in the first place.On the left you will see the name of such a place, its address and telephone number for registration. In the search engine, you will also find information about facilities for the disabled (for example, an entrance, an elevator or a toilet). You will also find out if there is parking near the clinic. This is practical information that often helps when organizing a visit.

Does the NHF Treatment Search Engine Really Work?

We check how this site works in practice. For example, we want to enroll a 7-year-old child for an eye test in Szczecin. According to the information shown by the system, we have the first free date in 3 weeks. The next one is in 3 months. We already know which clinic to choose in order to get there earlier. Another situation - a resident of a small town, such as Plock, is looking for an endocrinologist who will admit her to the National Health Fund. The search engine indicates the first free date - in 5 months. This is still less than the average waiting time for an appointment with a doctor in this specialty in Poland - according to a report by the Watch Health Care Foundation, Polish women with thyroid problems wait 11 months to see a specialist. Let’s check the MRI date. We choose the city “Jelenya Gora”. The first available date is in two months.

In some cases, the search engine gets confused and shows available dates, for example, a week ago. But still, it makes it easier to move between offices. An interesting option is also the ability to check how long the queue for a given specialist lasts and how long the average waiting time lasts. Such information can be found in the “Additional data” tab. Attention! We cannot make an appointment with a doctor or for an examination through a search engine. To do this, we must contact the selected medical institution directly.