Healthcare Research in Poland

Healthcare market research consists of specialized projects conducted among Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) and patients. These studies analyze prescribing behavior, therapeutic preferences, medical device satisfaction, attitudes toward new therapies, and population health behaviors. Given the direct impact on human health and life, healthcare research is subject to particularly stringent ethical and methodological standards.

Poland’s healthcare sector is one of the fastest growing — health expenditure as a share of GDP is rising steadily, and the pharmaceutical market exceeds 50 billion PLN annually. At the same time, the healthcare system faces significant staffing shortages (particularly among medical specialists), which directly affects the availability of respondents for research projects. The growing role of telemedicine, digitization of medical records, and reimbursement system reforms are creating new areas requiring market intelligence.

Common healthcare research projects include: ATU studies (Awareness, Trial, Usage) for medications, prescription flow analysis (when does a physician reach for a specific drug, what are the alternatives?), concept testing for new pharmaceutical products and medical devices, patient satisfaction surveys, market access studies (willingness to pay, reimbursement price modeling, pharmacoeconomic analysis), and adherence research (do patients follow prescribed treatment regimens?). Real World Evidence (RWE) projects combining survey data with clinical data are also increasingly common.

Methodologically, healthcare research is distinguished by the need to reach narrow, highly specialized respondent groups. Interviews with medical specialists (oncologists, cardiologists, neurologists) require specialized recruitment techniques and appropriate compensation for their time. The most frequently used methods are: IDI (in-depth interviews with physicians — the gold standard), CAWI among physicians (via medical panels), patient surveys (with full anonymity protections), and advisory boards (expert workshops with medical key opinion leaders).

The key constraint is research ethics — studies involving patients with specific conditions require the highest confidentiality standards, and in some cases, bioethics committee approval. Additionally, industry regulations (e.g., the EFPIA code) restrict forms of contact with physicians in commercial contexts, affecting recruitment methodology and interview conduct.