3.2.a Number of physicians per 10 thous. population
Sustainable Development Goal
Goal 3. Good health and well-being
Priority
Inequality reduction in access to healthcare
Definition
Number of physicians (working directly with a patient) per 10 thous. population.
Unit
persons
Available dimensions
total
Methodological explanations
Pursuant to the Act of 5 December 1996 on the Profession of Doctor and Dentist (unified text Journal of Laws 2005 No 226, item 1943), a doctor is a person having required qualifications, confirmed with appropriate documents to perform the profession of a doctor, i.e. who provides health services, and in particular examines health state, diagnoses diseases and prevents them, leads treatment and rehabilitation of patients, provides consultations, as well as issues medical statements and opinions. Pursuant to Act of 5 December 1996 on the Profession of Doctor and Dentist, the profession of doctor can be practised according to various legal forms. Dentists are not included as doctors.
Persons working directly with a patient - persons indicated as working in at least one of the sources: Register of Entities Performing Medical Activity, list of entities having a contract with National Health Fund, entities from the Statistical Units Base, operating according to the Polish Classification of Activity in Section Q Health and social work or active practice (individual or group).
The following criteria are used in determining the main place of work for people working with a patient:
• if a person works in one place, this is their main place of work;
• if a person works in more than one workplace, the main workplace is considered to be the one where the working time is the greatest;
• another criterion for choosing the main place of work was: the basis for assessing the pension insurance contribution, and if it is impossible to use it - the basis for assessing the health insurance contribution;
• if the above, successively applied criteria do not allow for an unambiguous choice, the main place of work is considered to be the one where the person working in the profession of a doctor or dentist or nurse or midwife is employed under an employment contract (i.e. where the first four the digits of the insurance title code are 01 10);
• in other cases, the main place of work is determined randomly.
