New regulations taking effect April 9th mandate data submission to Poland’s National Cardiac Network (KSK) to improve treatment effectiveness.
New Obligations for Cardiac Centers
Regulations come into effect on April 9th establishing rules for entering data into the National Cardiac Network (KSK) system. The Minister of Health’s regulation specifies the detailed scope of information that cardiology centers must submit to the network, as well as the deadlines for submission. The aim of these changes is to improve data quality, which will ultimately contribute to more effective treatment.
A regulation from the Minister of Health regarding the detailed scope of data transmitted by cardiology centers to the National Cardiac Network (KSK) will take effect on Thursday. Previously, there was no central IT system collecting data on the organizational structure of cardiology centers, their certifications, medical procedures performed, and the number of patients.
Data Verification and Center of Excellence Status
The obligation to enter this type of data into the KSK system will allow for its collection, organization, and comparison in a standardized manner. The regulation specifies the detailed scope of data entered by cardiology centers into the KSK system and the deadlines for updates.
The data will enable verification of compliance with the criteria for belonging to the KSK network and granting the status of a Cardiology Center of Excellence (i.e., a center providing the highest quality of treatment and specializing in specific cardiovascular diseases).
Reporting Requirements for Cardiac Hospitals
Facilities will be required to submit data to the KSK regarding their structure and organization of services, availability of specialized hemodynamic laboratories, interventional radiology, electrophysiology, and cardiac rehabilitation departments, as well as the procedures performed there. They will also be obliged to provide information about their accreditations and quality certificates.
Centers with the status of a Cardiology Center of Excellence will additionally report on the number of procedures performed and the number of patients treated in the previous year.
Reporting Deadlines to the National Cardiac Network
The regulation also specifies the deadlines for submitting and updating data, ensuring that information in the system is kept up-to-date and comparable between facilities. Centrum e-Zdrowia will be responsible for the technical operation of the system.
According to the regulation, centers will have 30 days to enter data from the date of publication of the list of cardiology centers on the National Health Fund website. They will have until February 15th of the following year to enter data for the previous calendar year, and 14 days to update data in the event of a change.
Purpose of the Central System: Verification and Improved Care
The data collected in the KSK system will enable verification of compliance with the criteria for qualifying centers for different levels of cardiac care and granting the status of a Cardiology Center of Excellence, including assessing qualitative and quantitative criteria. The regulation applies to over 23,000 facilities providing inpatient and outpatient services, over 8,000 providing rehabilitation, and almost 3,000 involved in long-term care.
The result of entering data into the KSK will be an improvement in the organization of the cardiac care system and a reduction in premature mortality from cardiovascular diseases.
