Hospitals pay doctors, but there is not enough money for treatment. Very expensive CT and MRI

The Independent Provincial Hospital in Piotrków Trybunalski announced that in 2025 it allocated as much as PLN 69 million for doctors’ salaries, which constituted almost 28%. the entire hospital budget (PLN 248,128,717.63).

In 2025, the hospital admitted 51,207 patients. Comparing this number with the facility’s budget, it can be calculated that the average hospital operating cost per patient is approximately PLN 4,845. The National Health Fund estimated that in 2025, the treatment of an average Pole would cost approximately PLN 5,250 per year.

Deputy Minister of Health Tomasz Maciejewski explained to MPs what two-speed medicine is – it is about unequal access to research and modern therapies, which in Poland depends on the place of residence and the wealth of the patient.

Monthly salaries of doctors in Piotrków range between extremes

The highest monthly salaries of doctors in Piotrków exceeded PLN 100,000. PLN, and the record holder received up to PLN 129.6 thousand. zloty. The hospital allocated only PLN 12.78 million for full-time positions, including ZUS contributions, and over PLN 56.3 million for medical contracts.

In the first quarter of 2026, the record salary decreased slightly – to PLN 116,520 per month. The average monthly remuneration of contract doctors most often ranged between PLN 20,000 and PLN 24,000. PLN per month.

The hospital also disclosed to Gazeta Trybunalska the employment structure of doctors. Only 49 doctors worked full-time, four chose contract contracts, and as many as 232 doctors worked on contracts. 277 medics from Piotrków are Poles, six are citizens of Belarus, and two are citizens of Ukraine.

Costly diagnostics of human tissues. MRI and tomography

From the data provided by the hospital, it is easy to deduce which medical specializations are the most expensive. The highest costs of medical contracts were recorded in:

• PLN 6.45 million in the Imaging Diagnostics Department,

• PLN 5.64 million in the Cardiology Department,

• PLN 4.44 million for anesthesiologists,

• PLN 2.84 million for the Emergency Department,

• PLN 2.69 million in the Neurological Department,

• PLN 2.5 million in Night and Holiday Health Care.

It turns out that radiology is currently one of the most prestigious fields of medicine. On the one hand, years of learning to precisely recognize changes in human tissues are a barrier to access to doctors of this type of specialty. On the other hand, hospitals and private medical centers have to compete with each other in terms of rates, often offering several hundred zlotys per hour of duty or a quote for a single description. Thirdly, there is a rapid increase in tests such as magnetic resonance imaging and tomography resulting from doctors’ orders.

Compared to 2019, hospitals perform 87% more more magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 74 percent more computed tomography (CT) scans. The cost of performing these tests has also increased significantly – by 64%. in the last four years. An MRI is on average twice as expensive to perform as a CT scan.

In order to control the budget, the National Health Fund changed the rules for settling the so-called overperformance. From April 1, he pays only 50%. rates for magnetic resonance imaging and tomography performed above the limit specified in the contract with the hospital. Previously it was 100 percent. The restrictions do not apply only to children under 18 years of age, oncology patients with a DiLO card and selected preventive programs.

Answering questions from MPs in the Sejm, Deputy Minister of Health Tomasz Maciejewski assessed that half of the facilities do not limit admission for MRI and CT examinations, and the problem is that clinics abuse the category of urgent referrals.