Why Do Foreign Patients Seek Treatment in Poland? Medical Tourism Is a Healthcare Goldmine

Poland is becoming a key destination for European medical tourism. More and more foreign patients are choosing Polish clinics and spas, seeking cheaper, yet equally effective, medical services. Polish citizens are also seeking better financial solutions in healthcare markets in other countries. The entire healthcare market in Poland is currently undergoing an era of internationalization.

Medical tourism in Poland has been steadily growing for several years. More and more people from Germany, the UK, Scandinavia, and the Netherlands are coming to Poland not only for tourism but also for specific medical procedures. What attracts hundreds of thousands of foreigners to Polish clinics? The most important factor is attractive prices – many medical services in Poland cost up to half as much as in Western European countries. For example, a dental implant in Poland costs around €1,200, while in Germany it can reach up to €2,200. In 2015, the number of medical tourists was close to 100,000. Just three years later, that number reached almost 250,000, and the growth rate is steadily accelerating. The most popular treatments among foreigners are those in the fields of aesthetic medicine and dentistry. In vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures are also commonly performed among foreigners.

Polish clinics also offer a wide range of spa services, which are increasingly popular with foreigners. According to 2022 data, on average, one in twenty spa patients in Poland was a foreigner. Resorts such as Ciechocinek, Krynica-Zdrój, and Szczawnica are particularly popular.

Experts point to several reasons for the growing popularity of Polish medical services among foreigners:

• lower treatment costs while maintaining high quality,
• modern clinical infrastructure and quick appointments,
• qualified medical personnel and a high level of specialization,
• good transport accessibility and low travel costs from EU countries,
• safety and positive image of Poland as a patient-friendly country.

According to the SGA report, the highest number of hospitalizations per capita within Poland is in the Mazowieckie Voivodeship – over 140,000 per 100,000 inhabitants. Close behind are the Świętokrzyskie and Wielkopolskie Voivodeships. The popularity of medical destinations abroad among Poles depends on the industry; in 2022, 4 out of 5 applications for reimbursement of medical expenses abroad under the National Health Fund (NFZ) were for cataract surgery, and nearly 90% of all applications were for treatment in the Czech Republic. Furthermore, many Poles receive services such as radiotherapy in Germany or cardiac surgery in the USA.

Medical tourism represents a tremendous opportunity for the entire healthcare sector in our country. It not only increases the flow of funds to the private healthcare sector and enhances market competitiveness (which consequently leads to improved service quality), but also accelerates the development of new medical technologies and logistics solutions. In the age of globalization, Poland has the potential to become one of the leaders in international medicine in Europe.