New regulations coming into effect on April 17, 2026, will introduce electronic medical certificates and streamline the process for employees and employers in Poland.
Changes to Occupational Medicine Examinations from April 17th
Changes to occupational medicine examinations will take effect on April 17, 2026, and may significantly alter the flow of documents between the doctor, employee, and employer. The new regulations introduce solutions that will reduce paper documentation while giving employees greater control over their information.
Shift to Electronic Medical Certificates
The rules regarding occupational medicine examinations will soon change, with new regulations providing for a move away from exclusively paper documents and the introduction of electronic medical certificates. The changes will apply to both doctors performing preventive examinations and employees using these services, starting April 17, 2026.
Electronic Certificates and Internet Patient Account Access
The most important new feature is the ability to issue medical certificates electronically. These documents will be stored in medical information systems, and the employee will have access to them via the Internet Patient Account (IKP). This means there will no longer be a need to store paper certificates or deliver them personally to the employer – the document will be available online.
New Certificate Format and Data Scope
The changes cover not only the form of the documents but also their content. A new medical certificate format will be introduced, specifying the exact scope of information provided to the employer.
Employer Access to Limited Information
Under the new rules, the employer will only receive basic information about the employee’s ability to work, or lack thereof. The scope of data transmitted will depend on the type of certificate issued.
Doctor’s Recommendations for Work Conditions
Documents may also include doctor’s recommendations related to working conditions. These may concern, for example, the need to adjust the workstation or transfer the employee to another position if it results from an assessment of their health.
Health Recommendations for Employees Only
The new regulations also provide for the possibility of providing employees with additional health recommendations. The occupational medicine doctor will be able to indicate preventive measures or health recommendations that are not directly related to the work performed.
Privacy Protection Through IKP Access
Such information will be available to the employee on their Internet Patient Account. However, it will not be forwarded to the employer, which is intended to guarantee greater protection of medical data privacy.
Transitional Period for Paper-Based Recommendations
For the first three months after the regulation comes into force – until July 17, 2026 – recommendations will be issued exclusively on paper, and only later will it be possible to issue them electronically.
Electronic Medical Certificate: What it Means for Employees
In the case of examinations performed after April 17th, the certificate may be issued electronically and automatically saved in the system. The document will be available on the Internet Patient Account (IKP), allowing it to be quickly checked or downloaded if needed. If a doctor issues an electronic certificate from an occupational medicine examination, the employee will no longer have to provide the employer with a paper document.
Option for Traditional Paper Documents Remains
However, the regulations still allow for receiving a traditional document. At the employee’s request, the doctor is obliged to print and sign the certificate. The paper form will also be used whenever the teleinformation system is not working.
Exclusion for Certain Special Services
Full exclusion from the electronic system applies to certain special services. In the case of officers of the ABW, AW, CBA, SKW and SWW, as well as professional soldiers assigned to serve in these institutions, medical certificates will continue to be issued exclusively in paper form.
Comparison of Occupational Medicine Principles
Feature | Current System | New Regulations (from 17.04.2026)
Form of certificate | Exclusively paper | Electronic (saved in system) or paper (upon request)
Employee access | Physical document (original/copy) | Internet Patient Account (IKP)
Submission to employer | Obligation to provide paper printout | Automatic online access (no need to visit HR)
Scope of data for employer | General ability to work | Only necessary data on ability + any indications regarding position
Additional recommendations | Usually none or verbal | Private preventive recommendations visible only to employee in IKP
Special services | Paper form | No changes (still exclusively paper form)
Information Access: Employer vs. Employee
The changes in regulations clearly separate the scope of information available to the employer and the employee. The company will only receive the data necessary to determine whether a person can perform work at a given position. Detailed information about health status will remain available exclusively to the patient and the doctor, limiting access to sensitive medical data and strengthening employee privacy.
Transitional Period for System Adaptation
The regulations provide a transitional period to allow medical facilities and doctors to adapt to the new rules. This stage will be limited in time and will not last longer than six months, i.e. until October 17, 2026. Until then, it will still be permissible to issue medical certificates in paper form, especially at the request of the person being examined or when the teleinformation system is unavailable.
Legal Basis
Regulation of the Minister of Health of March 20, 2026, amending the regulation on conducting medical examinations of employees, the scope of preventive health care for employees, and medical certificates issued for the purposes provided for in the Labor Code.
