It is my privilege to welcome doctors, nurses, students and other healthcare professionals to 10th EURIPA Rural Health Forum which will be held for the first time in Poland in Siedlce on 23-25 September 2020.
Over the last 30 years Poland underwent huge political and economic changes. It transformed from communist state towards democracy and market economy. There were big changes in primary care as well and state owned medical centers were replaced by privately owned medical practices which work within public healthcare system. During the conference we would like to share our experiences with colleagues from other countries and provide examples of good practice.
Providing of high level medical care to rural places remains a challenge in many countries. The situation is aggravated by younger generation migration to cities leaving elderly population without care that traditionally was provided by the closest family members. New developments such as telemedicine, electronic prescriptions, new medications that are easier to deliver and monitor give us a chance to provide modern medicine even when there are scarce numbers of medical professionals.
The theme of this forum is “Understanding our patients – working closely together”. This is for many of us still a new idea. We will discuss how to involve patient groups in finding best solutions for organization of services, preparing guidelines and delivering medical care.
Although some of you may have visited Warsaw or Cracow, participation in 10th EURIPA Rural Health Forum gives you an opportunity to see Siedlce located in Eastern Poland. Siedlce founded as a private city by Polish aristocracy has turbulent history going back to 15th century. Today with almost 80 thousand citizens , it is a dynamic city with local University of Natural Sciences and Humanities and the only El Greco`s painting in Poland „The ecstasy of St. Franci`s” presented in the diocese museum. Siedlce is surrounded by small villages located in agricultural areas. I hope that beauty of local fields and forests as well as hospitality of Polish people living in Eeastern Mazovia will be an added value to the scientific attractiveness of our Forum.
Slawomir Chlabicz
President of Scientific Committee
Slawomir Chlabicz is Professor of Medicine and the Head of the Department of Family Medicine at the Medical University of Bialystok, Poland. He is also a partner in a family medicine practice which provides primary care to inhabitants of Bialystok. His main research areas include: use of antibiotics in primary care, diagnosing respiratory and urinary infections and cardiovascular risk-assessment. He has been a co-author of textbooks for medical students and doctors on: family medicine, antibiotic use and doctor-patient communication. Privately interested in the history of Europe.
