Government Initiatives to Encourage Adoption of Healthcare IT Solutions in Poland, Finds Frost & Sullivan

LONDON, April 20, 2010 - Various initiatives by the Polish Government, coupled with funding from
the European Union (EU), have been driving the adoption of IT systems by the
healthcare sector. The acceptance of the Euro as Poland's currency is set to
further fuel IT funding by the EU in the country.

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New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (www.healthcareIT.frost.com),
Social and Economic Benefits of Healthcare IT in Poland, finds that Poland
ranks below the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
average in terms of healthcare spending per capita. However, efforts to
modernise the healthcare structure are set to galvanise the uptake of IT
systems by the healthcare sector.

The financing of the Polish Healthcare system is divided into public (66
per cent) and private funding (34 per cent). The Polish government has
undertaken steps to contain the growing healthcare costs by shifting the
costs to service users and securing more value for money for the contracted
services. In spite of these actions, the public healthcare expenditure is
constantly growing from 26.2 billion USD in 2009 to an expected 36.9 billion
USD billion in 2014. Private spending amounted to 12.1 billion USD in 2009
and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of about 11 per cent
until 2014. At the same time, the market experiences a growing investment
into the private healthcare sector by local operators such as SwissMed,
Medicover, Lux Med, Enel-Med, Carolina, Euromedicare (EMC), Adamed and
international players like Asklepios and Rhon Klinikum.

"IT investment by the private sector is increasing," notes Frost &
Sullivan Industry Analyst S. Priyan. "This is boosting the potential pool of
funds for healthcare IT systems in the Polish private healthcare sector."
This sector is investing larger amounts on IT adoption than its public sector
counterpart, thereby promoting overall market potential in the country.

However, low levels of acceptance by healthcare providers is creating
roadblocks in the implementation and utilisation rates of healthcare IT
solutions by the Polish healthcare sector.

"Healthcare providers have shown lower acceptance levels of IT systems
than most other service sectors in Poland," explains Priyan. "While the
reluctance of healthcare providers acts as a restraint to overall market
expansion, it also creates obstacles to penetration and utilisation rates of
these healthcare IT systems."

There are key aspects missing in the Polish Healthcare IT market in order
for the country to reach the European average level of development. Even
though about 50 per cent of the general practitioners use the computer to
record patient's administrative data and 40 per cent to record patient's
medical data, the number gets significantly lower when it comes to data
transfer (both medical and administrative), decision support systems usage,
the transfer of laboratory results, or e-prescribing.

Furthermore, the interoperability of already implemented IT solutions
within a facility as well as communications systems between facilities (for
example between GP and laboratory) is insufficient. Neither a system of
central databases and registers for the healthcare system, nor an improved
access to healthcare information, like Web portals or e-communication in
healthcare, are in place.

Healthcare IT system vendors should work closely with healthcare
providers and demonstrate the benefits and positive implications related to
the implementation of IT solutions in healthcare. They should also attempt to
consolidate their solutions, providing more value-for-money to the healthcare
sector.

"The main advantages of implementing e-health systems include optimal
management of workflow, mobility of patients and health professionals,
significant savings on time, money and effort, better decision support at
point of care, reduced number of possible mistakes and increased security and
patient safety."

Social and Economic Benefits of Healthcare IT in Poland is part of the
Healthcare & Life Sciences IT Growth Partnership Service programme, which
also includes research in the following markets: European Markets for
Business Analytics in Healthcare, Social and Economic Benefits of Healthcare
IT in EMEA Countries, Strategic Analysis of Care Management Market in Europe
and, Pharmacy Information Systems Market in Europe. All research services
included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry
trends that have been evaluated following extensive interviews with market
participants.

If you are interested in more information on the study on the Polish
Healthcare IT market, please send an e-mail to Katja Feick, Corporate
Communications, at katja.feick@frost.com, with your full name, company name,
title, telephone number, company e-mail address, company website, city, state
and country.

About Frost & Sullivan

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Social and Economic Benefits of Healthcare IT in Poland (M4FC)

    Contact:
    Katja Feick
    Corporate Communications - Europe
    P: +49-(0)-69-7703343
    E: katja.feick@frost.com
    www.frost.com
    Twitter: twitter.com/frost_sullivan

Katja Feick, Corporate Communications - Europe of Frost & Sullivan, +49-(0)-69-7703343, katja.feick at frost.com