On April 17, 2023, the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw hosted the award ceremony for the 2^nd edition of the “Perspectives of Medicine” 2022 competition. The report of the 4^th Congress “Health of Poles” 2022 was presented on the same day. The Congress is a joint initiative of the Committee on Clinical Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Main Council of Research Institutes, university teams, the World Hearing Center, the Institute of Sensory Organs, and numerous experts in science and medicine, management, economics, and economy.

– The Post-Congress Report and Recommendations is a critical summary. I am glad that we covered topics that are still relevant today and that we pay attention to issues that affect entire groups, populations, and even the entire planet because you have one health. If we do not realize that health is not only what we eat, drink, how we study, work, and rest, but also what surrounds us – the plant and animal world – if we do not keep this in mind, we cannot talk about our well-being on our planet. This is one of the challenges included in our recommendations – Prof. Henryk Skarżyński said, opening the meeting with a short speech entitled “Civilization Diseases: What Risks and Diseases Poles are Exposed to – Conclusions of the ‘Health of Poles’ Report 2022”.

He thanked the speakers of the Congress “Health of the Poles” 2022. – I will not discuss the entire report and all the recommendations because it has several hundred pages. I encourage you to read it so everyone can see our proposal to make our activities and integrated cooperation for prevention more effective – Prof. Skarżyński emphasized.

The gala was preceded by the debate of experts on “The Health of Poles in the Context of Civilization Diseases” with Prof. Gertruda Uścińska, President of the Social Security Institution (ZUS) (“Absenteeism Due to Civilization Diseases”), Filip Nowak, President of the National Health Fund (NFZ) (“Prevention of Civilization Diseases”), and Małgorzata Gałązka-Sobotka Ph.D., Dean of the Center for Postgraduate Education, Director of the Institute of Healthcare Management at Lazarski University (“Economic Aspects of Prophylaxis”).

The debate was followed by a gala and the presentation of awards and honorable prizes in the “Perspectives of Medicine” 2022 competition.

Prof. Henryk Skarżyński handed statuettes to the winners and congratulated them. The special award from patients was given to the former Minister of Health, Adam Niedzielski. Agata Konarska hosted the gala.

The “Health of the Poles” competition aims to promote experts, leaders, and teams that contribute to raising the level of Polish medicine, supporting positive changes in health care in Poland, improving the quality of medical care, and promoting pro-health attitudes.

Dozens of candidates, projects, and programs entered the competition. The competition’s jury evaluated the candidates’ achievements in implementing innovative ideas and new diagnostic and treatment methods that uplift health care. It also considered the successes of facilities managed by experts, new strategies of organization and management in health care, new diagnostic or therapeutic methods to improve patients’ health and quality of life, and activities to modernize the Polish health care system. The evaluation focused on the popularization of education and health prevention and the promotion of innovative programs and solutions in medicine.

Prizes and awards were given in six categories:

• preventive health care,
• modern medical education,
• innovation and implementation,
• telemedicine and e-health services,
• organization – health care,
• health promotion in the mass media.
• PREVENTIVE HEALTH CARE

1. Filip Nowak, President of the National Health Fund

FOR: directing all attention on the patient and working every day to improve the situation of patients, increase the quality and comfort of their lives, and initiate and support many preventive health care programs.

2. Adam Struzik, Marshal of the Mazovian Province; Elżbieta Lanc, Member of the Management Board of the Mazovian Province

FOR: implementing the School of Health Promotion program and the numerous health education, health promotion, and prevention activities planned for 2022-2025 for many diseases – including activities for children and adolescents’ mental health, addiction prevention, and depression and suicide prevention. Health-promoting activities include transplantation, oncology, diabetes, raising the level of acceptance of people living with HIV/AIDS, knowledge of prevention of infectious diseases and infections, support and promotion of emergency medical services, prevention of malignant tumors, treatment of infertility, and many others.

Honorable mentions:

1. Capital City of Warsaw

FOR: implementation of the Healthy Student 2022 health promotion program, which includes hygiene and its impact on physical and mental health, healthy and rational nutrition and drinking water, and prevention of infectious diseases, among others.

2. City of Katowice

FOR: Implementation of the “Program of Prophylaxis and Health Promotion for 2021-2027”, particularly for the implementation of prophylactic vaccinations against human papillomavirus HPV for students in the seventh grade of Katowice elementary schools.

3. Local Government of Małopolskie Province

FOR: health prevention activities, especially for health programs aimed at children and adolescents in areas with a particular increase in negative phenomena, such as the epidemic of excess weight and obesity, mental health problems, and digital addiction.

• MODERN MEDICAL EDUCATION

1. Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, Rector of the University of Warsaw; Prof. Grzegorz Karasiewicz, Dean of the Faculty of Management at the University of Warsaw
   FOR: Placing the University of Warsaw in the elite group of international universities guaranteeing the highest level of postgraduate education, including health care.
2. Prof. Piotr Wachowiak, Rector of the Warsaw School of Economics SGH; Prof. Zbigniew Gaciong, Rector of Medical University of Warsaw (WUM)

FOR: SGH-WUM’s Master of Business Administration program in health care accredited by the Association of MBAs (the international authority accrediting MBA programs).

3. Prof. Ryszard Gellert, Director of the Medical Center for Postgraduate Education

FOR: Contribution to developing the modern postgraduate training of doctors, dentists, laboratory diagnosticians, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and specialists in healthcare-related fields.

Honorable mentions:

1. Rev. Prof. Ryszard Czekalski, Rector of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University (UKSW); Prof. Filip Szymański, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University (UKSW)

FOR: The establishment and development of the UKSW Medical College, which educates students in medical and nursing professions.

2. Lesław A. Paga Foundation

FOR: Health Care Leaders program consisting of lectures and workshops led by leaders of the medical sector, during which their participants gain practical knowledge about the specifics and operation of the industry, solve business cases and discuss with experts advisable directions of the health market development.

3. Paweł Olszewski, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Łazarski University

FOR: The unique approach to the teaching process using the latest educational materials and technological solutions and creating an elite image of medical studies.

• INNOVATION AND IMPLEMENTATION

Prof. Wacław Dąbrowski Institute of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology – PIB

FOR: Fulfilling a mission of great importance to human health, which is conducting research on environmentally friendly food production technologies and improving cultivation methods for innovative, little-known species and varieties.

Honorable mentions:

1. Prof. Marcin Grabowski, Head of the 1^st Department of Cardiology, Head of the Clinical Department of the Medical University of Warsaw.

FOR: transcatheter treatment program for patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation.

2. Neurosphera Neurology, Epilepsy, and Psychiatry Center

FOR: The Ictal® robot designed to assist epileptologists in diagnosing and treating patients who struggle with epilepsy. The Ictal® robot is the brain of the Neuroterminal cloud platform. Together they form a unique and globally innovative system. The doctor receives from Neuroterminal a proposal for diagnosing a specific type of epilepsy and a recommendation for the most effective (based on data analysis) therapy.

3. Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Institute of Oncology – National Research Institute in Gliwice

FOR: The project “Treatment of Ventricular Tachycardia with Radiosurgery based on Electrophysiological Heart Imaging,” carried out by radiotherapists from the Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Institute of Oncology  – PIB in Gliwice in cooperation with cardiologists from the Department of Electrocardiology and Heart Failure and the Department of Cardiology and Structural Heart Diseases of the Upper Silesian Medical Center in Katowice. SMART-VT involves administering a single, high dose of radiation to the site that is the source of the heart arrhythmia.

• TELEMEDICINE AND E-HEALTH SERVICES

e-Health Center (CeZ)

FOR: the e-health system forming the basis for the digital ecosystem of medical services. It gathers one place data about the course of treatment, such as e-prescriptions, e-referrals, and visit history, which the patient can conveniently and quickly access on his Online Patient Account.

Honorable mentions:

1. Wojciech Radomski, CEO of StethoMe sp. z o.o.; Paweł Elbanowski, Board Member of StethoMe sp. z o.o.

FOR: Developing the StethoMe® system to detect respiratory abnormalities. StethoMe® is based on medical AI algorithms (CE 2274) working with a wireless stethoscope and a dedicated app, easy for patients to use at home.

2. SWPS University in Warsaw

FOR: MEMO – devices for seniors to stimulate individual and collective memory. It is a multimedia tool to support the memory and activity of older adults. The tool counteracts digital and cultural exclusion and facilitates networking and intergenerational relations.

3. The Warsaw University of Technology

FOR: Developing a device to monitor infants’ vital signs during sleep to detect signals of crib death and enable rapid response.

• ORGANIZATION – HEALTHCARE

Prof. Grzegorz Opolski, Head of the First Chair and Department of Cardiology of the Medical University of Warsaw (from 1998 to 2021); Prof. Marcin Grabowski, Head of the First Chair and Department of Cardiology of the Medical University of Warsaw

FOR: The leadership and development of the 1^st Department of Cardiology at WUM, one of the best cardiology centers in Poland, in terms of scientific standing and patients’ treatment and diagnosis.

Honorable mentions:

1. Polskie Towarzystwo Medycyny Rodzinnej, Polish Family Medicine Association

FOR: Educating family physicians and PCPs in various forms of continuing education, disseminating the latest scientific developments in the field of family medicine in its broadest sense, and enabling the exchange of experience and information on family medicine, serving as a platform for cooperation between primary care physicians and specialists in various medical disciplines.

2. Prof. Krzysztof Składowski, Director of the Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Institute of Oncology – PIB in Gliwice

FOR: Establishment of the Clinical Trials Support Center, a specialized center to streamline the administrative handling of clinical trials and provide comprehensive and systemic patient support. It has increased the number of trials and improved the quality and availability of modern “last resort” therapies for patients.

3. Akademia Pedagogiki Specjalnej im. Maria Grzegorzewska Academy of Special Education

FOR: Implementing the project “Baby in the Web 2.0 – use of mobile devices by children aged 4-6 years and selected cognitive functions”.

• PROMOTION OF HEALTH IN MASS MEDIA

FOR: The reliability, diligence, and innovative approach to presenting health topics.

1. Red. Zbigniew Wojtasiński, Polish Press Agency
2. Red. Bartosz Kwiatek, Polsat

SPECIAL AWARD  IN THE PROMOTION OF HEALTH IN MASSE MEDIA CATEGORY

Editors of “Pulse of Medicine”

FOR: Reliable, consistent for 20 years to conduct a ranking called the List of One Hundred – a list of the most influential people in Polish medicine.

Honorable mentions:

FOR: The reliability in disseminating current medical knowledge and scientific achievements.

1. Red. Dorota Truszczak, Polskie Radio Program 1
2. Red. Jolanta Furgał, TVP
3. Red. Roman Czejarek, Polskie Radio Program 1
4. Red. Marek Nowicki, TVN
5. Red. Michał Dobrołowicz, RMF FM

Two special awards were presented as a special recognition from the scientific community and patients.

• SPECIAL AWARD of “PERSPECTIVES OF MEDICINE” 2022 COMPETITION

1. Prof. Renata Górska

FOR: Contributions to medical education, education of many generations of dentists and periodontal specialists, and the establishment of the Polish Society of Periodontology and its subsequent introduction into the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP), which is a union of 29 national scientific societies engaged in research, education, and promotion of periodontal treatment representing over 14,000 periodontists from Europe, North America, and the Middle East. For promoting awareness of the impact of periodontal diseases on overall health and the great importance of prevention.

• SPECIAL AWARD GIVEN ON REQUEST AND INITIATIVE OF THE PATIENTS

2. Adam Niedzielski, Minister of Health

FOR: launching programs to support the implementation of highly specialized procedures, which eliminated the queues for patients with hearing problems, allowing them, among other things, to emerge from the world of silence and pursue their passions in life as medical professionals.

We kindly invite you to watch the video recording of the event.