International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
The Health Technology Assessment is based on the evaluation of the characteristics and effects of... more The Health Technology Assessment is based on the evaluation of the characteristics and effects of health technologies to properly spend resources in healthcare. For the needs of hospitals, a special HTA department, Hospital-Based Health Technology Assessment (HB-HTA), has been established. The objective of the article is to assess the possibility of implementing a functional model with the coordinating role of Health Departments of the Voivodeship Offices with the support of the National Health Fund and the HTA Agency in Poland. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives from eight Voivodeship Offices. The interviews consisted of nine questions related to the possibility of introducing a functional model with the participation of the Voivodeship Office. The material was divided into seven codes relating to the questions included in the topic guide. From the perspective of Voivodeship Offices, HB-HTA could contribute to the improvement of the methodology used ...
Introduction. The novel emerging infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome c... more Introduction. The novel emerging infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a global public health concern. The ongoing pandemic outbreak in Poland makes a great impact on the diagnosis and treatment of other conditions including cancer and non-neoplastic diseases such as other infectious diseases. Research design. This study aimed to analyze trends in morbidity of selected infectious diseases in Poland over the last 6 years and assess the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic on the incidence of other infectious diseases from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. Results. No clear trend in the total number of cases of infectious diseases in Poland in the years 2015-2019 was observed. During the period from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020, a total of 1 273 155 SARS-CoV-2 infections were recorded in Poland; they represented the second most common disease entity in the analyzed period (after flu and suspected flu). At the same time, there was a decrease in morbidity for almost all disease entities for which at least one case had been reported in 2019. The mean hospitalization rate for COVID-19 amounted to 250.2 cases per 100 000 inhabitants. This article is available in open access under Creative Common Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) license, allowing to download articles and share them with others as long as they credit the authors and the publisher, but without permission to change them in any way or use them commercially.
Współczesny świat stanął w obliczu jednego z najtrudniejszych wyzwań od czasów zakończenia II woj... more Współczesny świat stanął w obliczu jednego z najtrudniejszych wyzwań od czasów zakończenia II wojny światowej. Kryzys migracyjny uświadomił społeczeństwom państw zachodnich, że poza granicami Starego Kontynentu i Ameryki Północnej dzieją się rzeczy sprzeczne z zasadami humanitaryzmu. Wojna w Syrii i Iraku oraz niski poziom życia w krajach afrykańskich przyczyniły się do masowej migracji. Zjawisko to mając charakter międzynarodowy staje się wyzwaniem na wielu płaszczyznach polityki społecznej. Jednym z nich jest zapewnienie imigrantom przybywającym do krajów docelowych odpowiedniego poziomu opieki zdrowotnej. Praca składa się z pięciu rozdziałów. W pierwszym dokonano definicji terminu imigracja. Przedstawiono również główne przyczyny obecnej fali imigracji (czynniki ekonomiczne, konflikty zbrojne). Oprócz tego wyszczególniono najczęstsze problemy zdrowotne, z jakimi borykają się osoby migrujące do państw Ameryki Północnej i Europy.Drugi rozdział to przedstawienie modeli funkcjonowani...
Identification of key actors involved in the implementation of a regional functional model for ho... more Identification of key actors involved in the implementation of a regional functional model for hospital evaluation The concept of Hospital-Based Health Technology Assessment (HB-HTA) is conducive to the rationalization of decisions made by the hospital management regarding the implementation of innovative medical technologies in hospital units. This type of HTA is a bottom-up hospital initiative, but usually it is also supported systemically and involves other entities, such as: the Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Tariff System, the payer, or regional authorities. Providing support to the hospital in making the final decision on the implementation of innovative medical technology may include such aspects as: obtaining necessary funding for the implementation of technology, identification of the competitive potential of the planned project, or following the HB-HTA methodology in reporting. The process of decentralization of hospital management in Poland induces scholars t...
Health workers have been at the forefront of treating and caring for patients with COVID-19 They ... more Health workers have been at the forefront of treating and caring for patients with COVID-19 They were often under immense pressure to care for severely ill patients with a new disease, under strict hygiene conditions and with lockdown measures creating practical barriers to working In this article we consider measures that countries have put in place to support health workers and enable them to do their job We show that countries have implemented a range of measures, from mental health support, financial bonuses and practical support such as free accommodation and transport The effectiveness of these initiatives should be evaluated to inform future crisis responses and strategies for health workforce development
The aim: The purpose of this study is the analysis of the financial situation of the institutes s... more The aim: The purpose of this study is the analysis of the financial situation of the institutes supervised by the Minister of Health in the period 2014-2018. Material and methods: The study group consisted of 10 institutes that conducted inpatient and / or outpatient medical activities in 2018. Data to analysis derived from financial statements of research institutes from 2014 to 2018. The selection of financial indicators to ratio analysis is based on Ministry of Health ordinance from 2017. Results: The situation of the analyzed hospitals is difficult, with the difference between individual entities. The analyzed units were characterized by high net losses (9 out of 10 units generated a loss each year) low value of revenues in relation to costs and high share of remuneration in the structure of operating costs. There was no visible financial situation improvement per year. Simultaneously, in 2018 the difference between units were major: on a point scale 0 -70 ranged from: 51 points...
Introduction: The main challenge of modern hospitals is purchasing medical technologies. Hospital... more Introduction: The main challenge of modern hospitals is purchasing medical technologies. Hospital-based health technology assessments (HB-HTAs) are used in healthcare facilities around the world to support management boards in providing relevant technologies for patients.Aim: This study was undertaken to update the existing body of knowledge on the characteristics of HB-HTA systems/models in the selected European countries. Insights gained from this study were used to provide an optimal approach for implementing HB-HTA in Poland.Materials and methods: Firstly, we carried out a systematic review in PubMed and embase. Secondly, we searched for gray literature via the AdHopHTA online handbook and the design book of the AdHopHTA project, as well as literature describing healthcare systems provided by the WHO. Then, we conducted in-depth interviews with HB-HTA experts from four countries. Finally, we selected ten countries from Europe and prepared frameworks for data collection and analy...
The purpose of this study was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of computed tomography (... more The purpose of this study was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of computed tomography (CT) scans of the chests of patients with the reference reverse-transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in early diagnosis of COVID-19. A systematic review with meta-analysis for numerical outcomes was performed, including 10 studies (6528 patients). High risk of systematic bias (spectrum bias) was demonstrated in all studies, while in several studies research information bias was found to be possible. The sensitivity of CT examination ranged from 72% to 98%, and the specificity from 22% to 96%. The overall sensitivity of the CT scan was 91% and the specificity 87% (95% CI). Overall sensitivity of the RT-PCR reference test was lower (87%) than its specificity (99%) (95% CI). No clear conclusion could be drawn on the rationale of using CT scanning in the early diagnosis of COVID-19 in situations when specific clinical symptoms and epidemiological history would indicate coronavirus infection. The sensitivity of the CT test seems to be higher than that of the RT-PCR reference test, but this may be related to the mode of analysis and type of material analysed in genetic tests. CT scanning could be performed in symptomatic patients, with a defined time interval from symptom onset to performing CT or RT-PCR, and it should be explicitly included as an additional procedure when initial coronavirus genetic test results are negative, while clinical symptoms and epidemiological history indicate possible infection. However, a reference test showing the presence of coronavirus genetic material is essential throughout the diagnostic and treatment process.
Activities of public health authorities to combat COVID-19 in selected European countries The cor... more Activities of public health authorities to combat COVID-19 in selected European countries The coronavirus pandemic has contributed to great changes in the functioning of modern societies, not just in the medical dimension. The perception of the health care system and its employees has also changed. The aim of the article is to analyze the approach of public authorities to combat the spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus in the following countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom and Poland. The research material was information available on the website of the European Observatory of Health Systems and Policies (EOHSP) in a special section dedicated to issues related to the prevention of coronavirus pandemic (https://www.covid19healthsystem.org/mainpage.aspx). The obtained results indicate that the crisis situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic forced all countries to undertake diversified, non-standard efforts, i.e. the use of their ow...
Activities of public health authorities to combat COVID-19 in selected European countries The cor... more Activities of public health authorities to combat COVID-19 in selected European countries The coronavirus pandemic has contributed to great changes in the functioning of modern societies, not just in the medical dimension. The perception of the health care system and its employees has also changed. The aim of the article is to analyze the approach of public authorities to combat the spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus in the following countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom and Poland. The research material was information available on the website of the European Observatory of Health Systems and Policies (EOHSP) in a special section dedicated to issues related to the prevention of coronavirus pandemic (https://www.covid19healthsystem.org/mainpage.aspx). The obtained results indicate that the crisis situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic forced all countries to undertake diversified, non-standard efforts, i.e. the use of their ow...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
The Health Technology Assessment is based on the evaluation of the characteristics and effects of... more The Health Technology Assessment is based on the evaluation of the characteristics and effects of health technologies to properly spend resources in healthcare. For the needs of hospitals, a special HTA department, Hospital-Based Health Technology Assessment (HB-HTA), has been established. The objective of the article is to assess the possibility of implementing a functional model with the coordinating role of Health Departments of the Voivodeship Offices with the support of the National Health Fund and the HTA Agency in Poland. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives from eight Voivodeship Offices. The interviews consisted of nine questions related to the possibility of introducing a functional model with the participation of the Voivodeship Office. The material was divided into seven codes relating to the questions included in the topic guide. From the perspective of Voivodeship Offices, HB-HTA could contribute to the improvement of the methodology used ...
Introduction. The novel emerging infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome c... more Introduction. The novel emerging infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a global public health concern. The ongoing pandemic outbreak in Poland makes a great impact on the diagnosis and treatment of other conditions including cancer and non-neoplastic diseases such as other infectious diseases. Research design. This study aimed to analyze trends in morbidity of selected infectious diseases in Poland over the last 6 years and assess the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic on the incidence of other infectious diseases from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. Results. No clear trend in the total number of cases of infectious diseases in Poland in the years 2015-2019 was observed. During the period from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020, a total of 1 273 155 SARS-CoV-2 infections were recorded in Poland; they represented the second most common disease entity in the analyzed period (after flu and suspected flu). At the same time, there was a decrease in morbidity for almost all disease entities for which at least one case had been reported in 2019. The mean hospitalization rate for COVID-19 amounted to 250.2 cases per 100 000 inhabitants. This article is available in open access under Creative Common Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) license, allowing to download articles and share them with others as long as they credit the authors and the publisher, but without permission to change them in any way or use them commercially.
Współczesny świat stanął w obliczu jednego z najtrudniejszych wyzwań od czasów zakończenia II woj... more Współczesny świat stanął w obliczu jednego z najtrudniejszych wyzwań od czasów zakończenia II wojny światowej. Kryzys migracyjny uświadomił społeczeństwom państw zachodnich, że poza granicami Starego Kontynentu i Ameryki Północnej dzieją się rzeczy sprzeczne z zasadami humanitaryzmu. Wojna w Syrii i Iraku oraz niski poziom życia w krajach afrykańskich przyczyniły się do masowej migracji. Zjawisko to mając charakter międzynarodowy staje się wyzwaniem na wielu płaszczyznach polityki społecznej. Jednym z nich jest zapewnienie imigrantom przybywającym do krajów docelowych odpowiedniego poziomu opieki zdrowotnej. Praca składa się z pięciu rozdziałów. W pierwszym dokonano definicji terminu imigracja. Przedstawiono również główne przyczyny obecnej fali imigracji (czynniki ekonomiczne, konflikty zbrojne). Oprócz tego wyszczególniono najczęstsze problemy zdrowotne, z jakimi borykają się osoby migrujące do państw Ameryki Północnej i Europy.Drugi rozdział to przedstawienie modeli funkcjonowani...
Identification of key actors involved in the implementation of a regional functional model for ho... more Identification of key actors involved in the implementation of a regional functional model for hospital evaluation The concept of Hospital-Based Health Technology Assessment (HB-HTA) is conducive to the rationalization of decisions made by the hospital management regarding the implementation of innovative medical technologies in hospital units. This type of HTA is a bottom-up hospital initiative, but usually it is also supported systemically and involves other entities, such as: the Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Tariff System, the payer, or regional authorities. Providing support to the hospital in making the final decision on the implementation of innovative medical technology may include such aspects as: obtaining necessary funding for the implementation of technology, identification of the competitive potential of the planned project, or following the HB-HTA methodology in reporting. The process of decentralization of hospital management in Poland induces scholars t...
Health workers have been at the forefront of treating and caring for patients with COVID-19 They ... more Health workers have been at the forefront of treating and caring for patients with COVID-19 They were often under immense pressure to care for severely ill patients with a new disease, under strict hygiene conditions and with lockdown measures creating practical barriers to working In this article we consider measures that countries have put in place to support health workers and enable them to do their job We show that countries have implemented a range of measures, from mental health support, financial bonuses and practical support such as free accommodation and transport The effectiveness of these initiatives should be evaluated to inform future crisis responses and strategies for health workforce development
The aim: The purpose of this study is the analysis of the financial situation of the institutes s... more The aim: The purpose of this study is the analysis of the financial situation of the institutes supervised by the Minister of Health in the period 2014-2018. Material and methods: The study group consisted of 10 institutes that conducted inpatient and / or outpatient medical activities in 2018. Data to analysis derived from financial statements of research institutes from 2014 to 2018. The selection of financial indicators to ratio analysis is based on Ministry of Health ordinance from 2017. Results: The situation of the analyzed hospitals is difficult, with the difference between individual entities. The analyzed units were characterized by high net losses (9 out of 10 units generated a loss each year) low value of revenues in relation to costs and high share of remuneration in the structure of operating costs. There was no visible financial situation improvement per year. Simultaneously, in 2018 the difference between units were major: on a point scale 0 -70 ranged from: 51 points...
Introduction: The main challenge of modern hospitals is purchasing medical technologies. Hospital... more Introduction: The main challenge of modern hospitals is purchasing medical technologies. Hospital-based health technology assessments (HB-HTAs) are used in healthcare facilities around the world to support management boards in providing relevant technologies for patients.Aim: This study was undertaken to update the existing body of knowledge on the characteristics of HB-HTA systems/models in the selected European countries. Insights gained from this study were used to provide an optimal approach for implementing HB-HTA in Poland.Materials and methods: Firstly, we carried out a systematic review in PubMed and embase. Secondly, we searched for gray literature via the AdHopHTA online handbook and the design book of the AdHopHTA project, as well as literature describing healthcare systems provided by the WHO. Then, we conducted in-depth interviews with HB-HTA experts from four countries. Finally, we selected ten countries from Europe and prepared frameworks for data collection and analy...
The purpose of this study was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of computed tomography (... more The purpose of this study was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of computed tomography (CT) scans of the chests of patients with the reference reverse-transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in early diagnosis of COVID-19. A systematic review with meta-analysis for numerical outcomes was performed, including 10 studies (6528 patients). High risk of systematic bias (spectrum bias) was demonstrated in all studies, while in several studies research information bias was found to be possible. The sensitivity of CT examination ranged from 72% to 98%, and the specificity from 22% to 96%. The overall sensitivity of the CT scan was 91% and the specificity 87% (95% CI). Overall sensitivity of the RT-PCR reference test was lower (87%) than its specificity (99%) (95% CI). No clear conclusion could be drawn on the rationale of using CT scanning in the early diagnosis of COVID-19 in situations when specific clinical symptoms and epidemiological history would indicate coronavirus infection. The sensitivity of the CT test seems to be higher than that of the RT-PCR reference test, but this may be related to the mode of analysis and type of material analysed in genetic tests. CT scanning could be performed in symptomatic patients, with a defined time interval from symptom onset to performing CT or RT-PCR, and it should be explicitly included as an additional procedure when initial coronavirus genetic test results are negative, while clinical symptoms and epidemiological history indicate possible infection. However, a reference test showing the presence of coronavirus genetic material is essential throughout the diagnostic and treatment process.
Activities of public health authorities to combat COVID-19 in selected European countries The cor... more Activities of public health authorities to combat COVID-19 in selected European countries The coronavirus pandemic has contributed to great changes in the functioning of modern societies, not just in the medical dimension. The perception of the health care system and its employees has also changed. The aim of the article is to analyze the approach of public authorities to combat the spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus in the following countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom and Poland. The research material was information available on the website of the European Observatory of Health Systems and Policies (EOHSP) in a special section dedicated to issues related to the prevention of coronavirus pandemic (https://www.covid19healthsystem.org/mainpage.aspx). The obtained results indicate that the crisis situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic forced all countries to undertake diversified, non-standard efforts, i.e. the use of their ow...
Activities of public health authorities to combat COVID-19 in selected European countries The cor... more Activities of public health authorities to combat COVID-19 in selected European countries The coronavirus pandemic has contributed to great changes in the functioning of modern societies, not just in the medical dimension. The perception of the health care system and its employees has also changed. The aim of the article is to analyze the approach of public authorities to combat the spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus in the following countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom and Poland. The research material was information available on the website of the European Observatory of Health Systems and Policies (EOHSP) in a special section dedicated to issues related to the prevention of coronavirus pandemic (https://www.covid19healthsystem.org/mainpage.aspx). The obtained results indicate that the crisis situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic forced all countries to undertake diversified, non-standard efforts, i.e. the use of their ow...
Uploads
Papers by Maciej Furman