A decrease in hip and knee replacement surgeries occurred in Poland in 2025, confirming earlier forecasts and marking the lowest number of procedures since 2022.
Financial Troubles Drive Procedure Drop
The decline in surgeries isn’t due to improved health among Poles, but rather financial difficulties within the National Health Fund (NFZ). As people live longer, the number of elderly individuals needing joint replacements due to degenerative changes and other illnesses is increasing.
Experts attribute the reduction in operations to problems faced by the NFZ, specifically hospitals struggling to recover full payment for procedures exceeding allocated limits. These issues became apparent in the first half of 2025, leading many hospital directors to limit patient admissions to avoid debt.
Impact on Specific Procedures and Patient Demographics
The most significant decrease was observed in hip replacement surgeries, down 6% compared to 2024. Knee replacements also saw a decline, albeit smaller at 2%. Despite this, hip replacements remain the most common procedure, totaling 63,900 in 2025, followed by knee replacements at 43,900.
The median age for patients undergoing these procedures is 60-73 years for women and 46-68 years for men. Primary procedures continue to dominate, accounting for over 92% of all surgeries in 2025.
Growing Wait Times and Regional Disparities
Reduced admissions have led to longer waiting times for surgeries. Regions like Pomerania and Kuyavian-Pomerania have wait times exceeding 1,000 days, while Opole and Silesia average over 900 days. Podlaskie offers the shortest wait times, averaging 200 days.
The number of healthcare providers performing these surgeries has remained relatively stable, with 281 facilities offering hip replacements, 266 for knee replacements, 198 for shoulder replacements, and 138 for elbow replacements.