Practices to overcome the inexistence of Advance Care Planning in Poland

Agnieszka Toczek-Wasiak; Rafał Kubiak; Tomasz Dzierżanowski

doi:10.1016/j.zefq.2023.04.015

Practices to overcome the inexistence of Advance Care Planning in Poland

Z Evid Fortbild Qual Gesundhwes. 2023 Aug:180:139-142. doi: 10.1016/j.zefq.2023.04.015. Epub 2023 Jul 22.

Authors

Agnieszka Toczek-Wasiak¹, Rafał Kubiak², Tomasz Dzierżanowski³

Affiliations

¹ Zakład Medycyny Paliatywnej, Świętokrzyskie Centrum Onkologii w Kielcach, Poland.
² Katedra Prawa Karnego, Uniwersytet Łódzki, Poland.
³ Laboratory of Palliative Medicine, Department of Social Medicine and Public Health, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: tomasz.dzierzanowski@wum.edu.pl.

PMID: 37482529
DOI: 10.1016/j.zefq.2023.04.015

Abstract

Although the first Advance Care Planning (ACP) models were developed decades ago, Poland is still a country where ACP has not yet been implemented, despite its apparent benefits for both patients and the health care system. This article presents the legal and cultural context, main impediments, and opportunities for implementing ACP in Poland. Legal regulations are mandatory to ensure respect for the patient's will. Raising public awareness seems to be a cornerstone of the shift of paradigm. We strongly believe that the support of experienced countries is indispensable.

Keywords: ACP; Advance Care Planning (ACP); Advance directives; End of life; Lebensende; Palliative care; Palliativversorgung; Patientenverfügung; Vorausschauende Gesundheitsplanung.

MeSH terms

Advance Care Planning*
Germany
Humans
Patients
Poland