The healthcare system in Poland is bursting at the seams. There is a shortage of staff, digitization is lagging behind, and innovations often complicate rather than improve things. And yet it is precisely in these challenges that participants at the Health Business Innovations 2025 conference see opportunities for development. On June 5, 2025, in Katowice, owners, managers, and experts associated with companies, startups, hospitals, and organizations operating in the healthcare market in Poland not only diagnosed problems but also sought specific solutions. From remote care and artificial intelligence, through biotechnological innovations, to the new role of pharmacies and medical startups with real potential. These are just some of the topics discussed during HBI vol. 4.
Hospital is the most expensice hotel in the world
– Each and every one of us will need healthcare. It’s inevitable. That’s why we must take care of the personel – says dr Tomasz Maciejewski, director of the Mother and Child Institute. – Retention, not recruitment, should be our priority.
Burnout affects every second healthcare leader. Meanwhile, as pointed out by Władysław Mizia, leader of healthcare consulting at Deloitte, automation and AI can free up to 30% of doctors’ and nurses’ time, which can be crucial for an overburdened system. It is the patient who will benefit most from these changes. AI not only frees up staff time, but also paves the way for the development of self-diagnostics, solutions that enable fast, effective, and safe monitoring of health at home. This fits in with the idea of a “hospital at home,” where patients stay in their home environment instead of in a hospital ward. This concept not only reduces systemic costs, but also improves the comfort of treatment and allows doctors to focus on the most demanding cases. This topic was addressed by Edyta Hryniecka, CFO at OASIS Diagnostics S.A., among others.
One system insted of three
One of the strongest points of the conference was the call for the creation of a unified IT system in hospitals.
– A doctor working in three different places has to use three different systems. This is absurd. The ministry should propose a single standard, said Andrzej Sokołowski, president of the Polish Association of Private Hospitals.
As the participants in the debate emphasized, the digital revolution in healthcare will not succeed without open APIs, interoperability, and uniform standards. The lack of consistency between systems today means that a lot of medical data is lost or unused, which translates into wasted time and lower quality of care. Dariusz Madera, CEO of the University Clinical Hospital in Opole, also pointed out the need for such solutions. “Open APIs, interoperability, and standardization are key conditions for the digital revolution.”
– It is not enough to simply “digitize”; you have to design wisely, reminded Jan Duraziński, Chief Growth Officer at 25wat, an agency specializing in IT system design and marketing for the healthcare sector. „Creating new IT systems in healthcare should start with mapping needs and processes, not with a finished product. Skipping this stage results in solutions that are detached from the reality of users. In addition, technological debt – combined with poor system architecture – leads to difficulties in integrating newer and more innovative digital products,“ he said. He pointed out that implementing an effective system requires time, research, and discussions with stakeholders at every level of the organization. ”Processes first, then technology,”.
Pharmacy close to the patient
Pharmacies are increasingly being referred to as local health centers..
– Pharmacists can already vaccinate against 26 diseases. They serve 2 million patients a day. Their role will continue to grow, emphasized Mikołaj Konstanty, vice president of the Supreme Pharmaceutical Council of the Supreme Pharmaceutical Chamber.
This is untapped potential that is still waiting for systemic support. Pharmacies can play a key role in prevention and early diagnosis, acting as the first line of contact with patients. Relieving the burden on hospitals and clinics in this way is not only a step towards greater accessibility of care, but also a real saving for the entire healthcare system.
Biotechnology and robotics are accelerating
Marta Winiarska (President of the Polish Association of Innovative Medical Biotechnology Companies BioInMed in Warsaw) pointed out that over half of EMA and FDA approvals concern biological medicines.
Professor Zbigniew Nawrat from the Cardiac Surgery Development Foundation in Zabrze pointed to the growing role of robotics and personalised treatment. Tomasz Chwiałkowski, a partner at Aegis Capital, noted that diagnostics is an area in which Poland has potential.
According to data from the Polish Chamber of Medical Devices POLMED, there are over 5,000 companies offering medical devices on the domestic market. Every fourth product is digital..
– A good leader does not make decisions alone – they create conditions in which good decisions are possible. One such condition may be access to flexible financing that accelerates development. Today, leasing is not only an investment tool – it is a partnership in the development of medical companies that want to treat more, better, and in a more modern way, noted Sławomir Króliczek, president of Aureus Leasing.
Poland has enormous intellectual resources for the development of medical devices. It is very important to prepare the documentation for certification properly from the very beginning of the medical device development process, starting with its design. Proper preparation of documentation for certification saves time and money. This becomes particularly important when the waiting time for certification according to MDR standards is extended due to the insufficient number of notified bodies in the European Union, as mentioned by Małgorzata Gonsior-Kustosz, Co-CEO at DevGoMed.
The digital heart of healthcare
As Prof. Michał Zembala, chairman of the Health Startup Contest jury, reminded us, the history of medicine is a history of courage and breakthroughs.
– Transcatheter aortic valve replacement, once considered too bold an idea, has now become the gold standard of treatment, noted Zembala.
This example shows how a single innovation can not only change clinical practice, but can also become an impetus for development. This breakthrough—now widely used—was once rejected as “impossible to implement.” Today, it inspires startups that seek solutions where the system fails. “One good solution is enough to trigger a wave of others,” said Prof. Zembala, pointing out that the most difficult challenges are often the beginning of real change in the system.
The digital heart of healthcare
Central e-Registration is real proof that technology can improve the system. Over 130 facilities are participating in the pilot program, and the system has already served 300,000 patients. 7,600 canceled appointments have been returned to the system. This is just one of the projects carried out by the eHealth Center in Warsaw for the entire healthcare system in Poland.
Generative AI and LLM raise hopes, but also concerns. “There is no AI without data. And there is no good data without good systems,” noted Przemysław Czuma, CEO of the Polish Association for AI in Medicine.
In this context, there is increasing talk about the need for a well-thought-out strategy for implementing artificial intelligence. As Łukasz Warchal, CEO of Nubisoft, pointed out, GenAI technologies offer enormous possibilities, but their implementation requires careful planning. Both startups and large healthcare entities should carefully plan their AI usage model — from integration methods to cost control and data security. Only then can new technologies realistically improve the quality of care, reducing risks and supporting staff in their daily work.
Startups ready for implementation
The highlight of the event was the final of Health Startup Contest #1. Out of 24 startups from across the country, the expert team selected 7 HSC 2025 finalists (MeniscusCap, Hetalox, Ouli, QVITI, skinCare, Wimba, and WMKLab), who presented themselves to a 16-member jury chaired by Prof. Michał Zembala. The jury consisted of representatives from the world of medicine, institutional and individual investors, potential technology users, and companies from the medical market. The winner was MeniscusCap, a startup offering an innovative meniscus implant. The jury also awarded one distinction to Hetalox (AI-based technology for monitoring neurological diseases).
– We were faced with projects with enormous potential and a real impact on patients’ health, said Prof. Michał Zembala, chairman of the HSC 2025 Jury.
Startups can bring innovation to hospitals, but they need clear rules for cooperation: pilot projects, integration with IT systems, a financial model based on success fees, and evidence of clinical effectiveness.
Patient above all
Despite the enormous challenges, the prevailing belief in Katowice was that Polish healthcare could change for the better. The key is cooperation between hospitals, companies, universities, and the administration. One question is essential and should accompany all decisions: “What does the patient really need?”
Health Business Innovations 2025 not only asked this question, but also suggested several specific answers. Now it’s time for further action.
–For the fourth time, Health Business Innovations brought together business leaders from the healthcare market with diverse experience and perspectives. We created a space for sharing knowledge and experience. Once again, HBI was the venue for discussions that took place throughout the day in the networking zone, i.e. for 10 hours from the opening of the reception desk to the departure of the startups and jurors of the Health Startup Contest 2025 from the conference room, said Janusz Dramski, first vice president of the Chamber of Commerce and Indystry in Katowice and director of HBI.
Health Business Innovations was held for the fourth time in the Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis, where Katowice and Zabrze form the core of the Silesian medical valley. It is here that the Medical University of Silesia, founded in 1948 in Zabrze, has been developing for nearly 80 years and operates in Katowice, Zabrze, Bytom, and Sosnowiec, among other locations.
Health Business Innovations vol. 4 Katowice 5.06.2025 brings together over 220 participants from across the country, 29 speakers, 3 people in the expert team evaluating startups after applications, and 16 people in the jury of the Health Startup Contest vol. 1 final, as well as the Program Council and the team working at the Regional Chamber of Commerce in Katowice on HBI and the development of further elements of the Health Business Hub for companies from the health market associated with RIG Katowice.
