Specialist appointments and e-referrals

Check referral requirements, choose an NFZ clinic and manage the waiting list without duplicate bookings.

Check whether a referral is needed

Many publicly funded specialist consultations require a referral from a health-insurance doctor. Exceptions include psychiatry, gynaecology, oncology and dentistry, with other categories and current rules to check. A private appointment or referral does not automatically entitle you to a funded specialist consultation or test. Confirm your entitlement and the exact service.

Choose an NFZ provider

Choose a clinic contracted for that specialty, including outside your town. Compare available dates through NFZ’s official treatment-date information and contact registration. Ask whether the offered slot is publicly funded or private. Clinical urgency affects scheduling; an urgent category is not the same as immediate emergency care.

Register the e-referral

Use the e-referral code and PESEL, the IKP record or the accepted paper document as instructed. Register a referral at one clinic at a time, not multiple waiting lists. Keep the appointment details. If switching clinics, cancel the previous registration and arrange release of the referral before rebooking.

Prepare and follow up

Bring referral information, identification, entitlement evidence, medication list and relevant records. Ask the specialist about results, further tests and follow-up; ongoing treatment does not normally require a fresh POZ referral for each control visit. Cancel appointments you cannot attend. If your condition worsens, seek clinical reassessment; immediate danger needs urgent assistance.

Editorial summary checked against official sources: 2026-10-26

• Patient portal: registering and moving an e-referral
• Patient Ombudsman: additional referral exceptions
• NFZ: official treatment-date information