The Digital Divide Based on Development and Availability: The Polish Perspective

Contemporary Poland has achieved great strides in the process of digitization of healthcare with some impressive implementations in recent years. However, despite the marked process, the situation regarding broadly understood digitization, innovation in medicine, development of approaches and solutions based on Artificial Intelligence remains imperfect. Having said that, there are dynamic institutions that have registered both clinical and scientific achievements based on digitisation and whose mission, in part, is to influence decision-makers so that the development of modern technologies encounters as few obstacles as possible. Current challenges are the result of the Polish healthcare system structure, which was problematic even without the context of innovation and digitalization. Consequently, this is reflected in the approach to medical education as well as in the attitude of healthcare professionals towards solutions which are considered new and unknown. This chapter summarises the challenges specific to Poland and healthcare digitisation, and highlights the progress that has been achieved thus far.