Centralized e-registration for doctors becomes mandatory from July 2026
Poland's new electronic appointment system goes mandatory on July 1, 2026 for cardiology and cancer screening. Patients can book NFZ appointments online through a single platform.
Starting July 1, 2026, healthcare facilities in Poland offering cardiology services and preventive cancer screenings (mammography and cytology) must integrate into the centralized electronic registration system (centralna e-rejestracja). The Council of Ministers adopted the legislation in July 2025, and facilities that fail to comply after July 1 will face financial consequences in settlements with the National Health Fund (NFZ).
The system, accessible through the Internet Patient Account (Internetowe Konto Pacjenta, IKP) and the myIKP mobile app, allows patients to search for available appointment dates nationwide, book appointments online, and join a "waiting room" that notifies them when earlier slots become available. A pilot phase began in 2025; facilities offering cardiology and cancer prevention services could join voluntarily and receive additional funding through December 2025.
Rollout and expansion
From January 1, 2026, facilities had six months to integrate before the mandate took effect on July 1. Initially the system covers only cardiology and cancer screening; mid-2026 will see expansion to additional specialties, with full rollout across all medical specialists planned by the end of 2030. Traditional telephone booking remains available for patients who do not use digital services.
What this means for foreigners
If you are a foreigner with NFZ coverage and a PESEL number, you can use the IKP portal to book appointments in the covered specialties starting July 1. The system is open to anyone legally using the Polish healthcare system, regardless of citizenship. You will need a Profil Zaufany (Trusted Profile) login to access IKP. The centralized search should help reduce waiting times by automatically finding the earliest available slot across all participating clinics, rather than requiring you to call individual facilities. If you don't have digital access, phone booking remains an option.
