Paediatric intensive therapy services contracted by the National Health Fund in 2012

Area of Science:

• Healthcare system analysis
• Paediatric intensive care
• Health economics

Background:

• Paediatric anaesthesiology and intensive therapy departments are vital components of Poland's healthcare infrastructure.
• Analysis of funding for these critical departments by regional National Health Fund (NHF) branches in 2012 was conducted.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the financial resources allocated to paediatric anaesthesiology and intensive therapy departments by the NHF in 2012.
• To identify regional disparities in funding levels.

Main Methods:

• A survey of NHF regional branch websites identified contracted paediatric anaesthesiology and intensive therapy departments.
• Data collected included contract values, contracted points, and price per point for 2012.
• The number of intensive therapy beds was determined using the Register of Therapeutic Entities.

Main Results:

• Silesian, Opole, and Lodz provinces showed the highest per capita expenditure for intensive therapy in children and adolescents (<17 years).
• Lubusz (with no contracted departments), Swietokrzyskie, and Podkarpacie provinces exhibited the lowest expenditures.
• Significant regional variations in funding were observed across Poland.

Conclusions:

• The National Health Fund's (NHF) funding for paediatric anaesthesiology and intensive therapy departments is deemed adequate.
• However, a notable underutilization of staff and equipment potential exists in many of these departments.
• Recommendations for optimizing resource allocation and utilization are implied.