Barbara Wieckowska
Ministry of Health, Poland
Title: Age-Period-Cohort Model For Regional Health Inequalities In Poland – Results For Cancer Care
Biography
Biography: Barbara Wieckowska
Abstract
The EU ex ante conditions (maps of healthcare needs) were the trigger for development creation of a prognostic tool to estimate future demand for healthcare in Poland. Th is tool was aimed on (1) recognition the discrepancies in medical treatment between Polish voivodships, (2) to discern dynamics of medical standards between particular cohorts of patients and (3) provide scenario analysis based on assumed changes in medial decision trees. Defined in the Department, the universal instrument is based on the analysis of individual medical data in years 2009-2014 gathered by the public payer (National Healthcare Fund). Th e model allows for evaluation of differences in both accessibility of healthcare services and treatment choice concerning regions as well as cancer types and stages. Observed disparities amount even to 200% for example access to radiotherapy for breast cancer patients. Those inequalities may affect medical decisions – radical mastectomy vs. sublime surgery followed with radiotherapy. The analysis of the distinctions is highly crucial in the context of healthcare policy planning, i.e. (1) designating priority regions for infrastructural investments (e.g. radiotherapy); (2) disseminating new trends in treatment; (3) projecting scenarios that would minimize evident gaps in accessibility of healthcare benefits on the national level. Th is model was applied in 2015 into first healthcare needs maps prepared in Poland concerning oncology and cardiology, and will be further used in maps considering other diseases and health related problems.
