Polish Spa and Health Resorts are part of the national heritage and a world-known brand. They represent the oldest area of medicine, which developed over centuries, tested by progressing medical sciences.
Contemporary Spa Medicine combines selected, superior, evidence-based traditional methods with novel modalities and technologies. It uses its non-pharmacological armamentarium to address both prevention and treatment of chronic conditions. Spa Resorts play a major role in the treatment of chronic diseases, which remain the greatest challenge and generate the highest costs. Spa Resorts have a positive impact on health and quality of life, reducing costs of clinical treatment of chronically ill patients.
Preventive medicine is of great public importance as it can help protect state budgets from collapse caused by the dynamically growing costs of curative medicine. Spa resort treatment in Poland has a tremendous potential, which should be exploited for preventive programs. Balneoprophylaxis (Spa Resort prophylaxis) can prevent disease; slow down the progression of illnesses and their complications; slow down the aging process in the elderly; and reduce stress levels. Spa Resort diagnostic facilities allow for identification of risk factors of disease. Spa Resort healthcare institutions must develop and grow to meet the needs of an aging population with its growing burden of chronic diseases. Spa Resort Healthcare offers methods which are both effective and easily accessible. Balneologic treatments have the great advantage of being non-invasive and free of side effects.
Alongside healthcare services, the resorts feature an ever-growing spa-and-wellness offer in local hotels. These amenities target a different clientele: the healthy, weary and well-to-do. Such services offered in spa resorts should not be linked to, let alone confused with Spa Resort Healthcare.
Prof. Irena Ponikowska, MD, PhD
