Poland’s Health Ministry is planning changes to hospitalization rules, allowing for medical procedures lasting up to 12 hours without formal admission, beginning July 1, 2026.
New Rules for Short Hospital Stays
A draft regulation from the Minister of Health proposes allowing patients to undergo medical procedures lasting up to 12 hours without being formally admitted to a hospital ward. The changes aim to make short-term treatment safer, faster, and more accessible.
The final decision regarding this type of admission rests with the attending physician, while traditional hospitalization remains available for patients requiring longer stays.
Current Regulations and Their Limitations
Currently, Polish regulations require formal hospital admission even for treatments lasting only a few hours. The justification for the new regulation states that existing rules limit organizational flexibility, increase costs, and hinder the full utilization of hospital potential.
The introduction of flexible hospitalization aims to enable the safe and efficient execution of short procedures, while simultaneously increasing access to care and improving the use of medical resources.
Flexible Hospitalization: Details of the New System
The proposed regulation allows for the implementation of healthcare services within a flexibly organized hospital framework, dedicated to short-term procedures not exceeding 12 hours. Patients will have full access to equipment and qualified medical personnel without formal admission to a ward.
If treatment needs to be extended, the patient will be admitted through the standard hospitalization process. The attending physician will always decide on the use of flexible hospitalization, based on patient safety and current health status.
International Practices in Short Hospital Stays
Short hospital stays, known as “day-case care,” are becoming standard in many countries, allowing patients to undergo quick and safe procedures without overnight hospitalization. In the UK, 75% of planned surgeries are performed on a day-case basis, thanks to established surgical pathways and anesthesiology guidelines.
Sweden performs nearly half of all hospital procedures in under a day, while France’s day surgery covers 97% of tonsillectomies and over half of all tonsillectomies in children. The Netherlands uses a DBC system integrating pricing for inpatient, day, and outpatient care, and Germany has implemented Hybrid-DRG since 2023, integrating funding for hospitalization and outpatient care.
Implementation Timeline and Legal Basis
The planned effective date for the regulation is July 1, 2026.
The legal basis for the changes is a draft regulation from the Minister of Health amending the regulation on guaranteed benefits in the scope of hospital treatment (MZ1883) – currently in the public consultation phase.
