In order to make an appointment with a specialist doctor, patients need a referral from a Primary Healthcare doctor (GP, or General Practitioner) This rule does not apply to visits to:

• dentists
• gynecologists and obstetricians
• oncologists
• psychiatrists
• addiction treatment clinics
• HIV clinics
• clinics for tuberculosis patients
• for war invalids and repressed people

A referral (from a GP or a specialist) is also needed in order to be admitted to a hospital, with the exception of emergency cases.

In the case of an e-referral, patients receive a 4-digit code from the GP and have to provide it along with their PESEL number at the registration desk at a hospital/a specialist office. E-referrals are also visible in the Online Patient Account, and the e-referral code is sent automatically via text (provided that the patient had included their phone number in their Online Patient Account).

Currently, there is no regionalization for admissions to specialist clinics, which means that the provision of medical care services does not depend on the patient’s place of residence.

Information about the specialists contracted by the Lesser Poland Branch of the National Health Fund, as well as the waiting list for given benefits can be found at: https://zip.nfz.gov.pl/GSL/GSL/PrzychodnieSpecjalistyczne and http://terminyleczenia.nfz.gov.pl.