Health Minister on the largest prevention program in history. He quotes a famous priest

• On May 5, the My Health preventive program was launched
• As part of the program, every adult will be able to periodically perform a health check-up.
• Based on the completed questionnaire, the patient will undergo a basic or extended package of tests and then consult the results with his/her family doctor.
• Minister of Health Izabela Leszczyna argues that this is the largest preventive program in history

On Wednesday, May 14, the Ministry of Health held a press conference about the My Health preventive program, which launched on May 5.

- When I started working at the Ministry of Health over a year ago, the first meetings were with patient organizations and each ended with an appeal to create a real, comprehensive, system-integrated prevention program. I made such a commitment and decided that prevention would be one of the tasks that would be a priority for me - said Izabela Leszczyna

She admitted that the Ministry of Health, despite its name, has not dealt enough with health so far. The new program is supposed to change that.

As she explained, the first goal of the program is accessibility and comprehensiveness .

She reminded us that children have regular check-ups until they are 19. However, when we turn 20, we are somewhat abandoned to our own devices.

As she said, there are those who take care of their health from an early age, and we must remember that old age does not begin at the age of 60 or 70. She recalled the words of Father Boniecki, who said that old age begins today.

The second goal is to personalize the research , because each of us is different. It depends on many different factors, including age, gender, lifestyle, family burdens.

The third goal is a consultation in primary health care, i.e. a meeting with our family doctor, who in this program becomes a "guide" to a healthy life.

- This is the largest health prevention program in history. It is supposed to help us take care of a complete check-up, which we call an adult's balance sheet, and be on the path to a healthy person - emphasized Izabela Leszczyna.

As she said, this program has one more feature - it builds relationships between patients in the primary care clinic.

- We don't have to convince anyone about how important patient-doctor relationships are. Recent times and downright tragic events have reminded us of this very clearly. Building relationships is something that this program promotes and is based on - said the head of the Ministry of Health.

She added that this is a demanding program for both the patient and the doctor, and "we will not see coupons and successes quickly, not as politicians usually expect, i.e. during this term, but in a few or a dozen years."

She argued that the programme is also another piece of the puzzle that strengthens the role of family doctors and primary healthcare providers.

- Starting this program is an entry into a preventive path, which is to be like a tailor-made suit - said Izabela Leszczyna.

The President of the National Health Fund, Filip Nowak, assured that PLN 193 million has been guaranteed in the National Health Fund budget for this year for the implementation of the program, and PLN 400 million for next year.

The Minister of Health also explained, year by year, that the program assumes filling out a questionnaire, undergoing tests and going to a summary visit.

- The survey can be completed on the Patient's Internet Account, in the IKP application, or at a primary care clinic, where an employee will help with this - she assured.

Based on the survey, a decision will be made about what tests we should do. - There is a basic package and an extended one, which depends on additional factors - she said and encouraged to fill out the survey "honestly".

In turn, the summary visit is to not leave the patient alone. These visits will be carried out by family doctors and nurses.

- This is the beginning of an individual health plan that will be prepared by our family doctor - said Izabela Leszczyna.

- If you are between 20 and 49 years old, you do an adult assessment every 5 years, and if the results show that we should have some tests in more detail or repeated in a year, then this is an individual plan prepared with the doctor. If you are over 50, you do an assessment every 3 years. The assessment does not exclude us from everything that primary healthcare or other health programs offer us on a daily basis - assured the Minister of Health.

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