[Problems in setting costs of tasks carried out by regional occupational health centers]. / Problemy ustalania kosztów zadan wojewódzkich osrodków medycyny pracy.

An analysis of costs incurred in tasks carried out by regional occupational health centers and sources of finance, completed by the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, allowed for defining obstacles in the efficient functioning of the finance management in these centers. Unsatisfactory system of financial information including. The information on costs is one of such obstacles. Therefore, a project has been initiated with the aim to develop the methodology of the cost that could provide necessary information for the current finance management and supervision as well as for the accomplishment of the defined aims. The author presents the objectives and major stages of setting unit costs involved in the task implementation including the standards for consumption of resources.

[Analysis of costs involved in activities of regional occupational health centers]. / Analiza kosztów zadan wojewódzkich osrodków medycyny pracy.

In this paper the authors continue considering the financial economy in the selected Regional Occupational Health Centres (ROHC). The paper contains an analysis of costs involved in the implementation of the ROHC activities, which constitute one of the components of the financial economy of health care institutions. Due to analyses carried out thus far it was possible to infer conclusions regarding the level and structure of the ROHC financing. The cost analysis supplements the considerations on the financial sources, and illustrates at the same time how the financial means have been used by these facilities. The ROHC expenditures were analysed in two dimensions: in the kind dimension and the subject-object dimension. Single costs were also the subject of the analysis. The comparison of the results obtained allowed for formulating conclusions on the financial economy of the selected ROHC. However, these conclusions cannot be generalised in terms of all facilities as the relationship between the structure and level of the costs, and the structure and level of financing was not common. The relationship between the highest share of salaries in the ROHC expenditures and a high level of financial support provided by regional Governors in 1998 was most frequently observed. A number of considerable limitations in the analysis performed were discussed in the final section of the paper.

[Sources of finance for provincial occupational health services. Theory and practice]. / Zródla finansowania wojewódzkich osrodków medycyny pracy. Teoria i praktyka.

The financing of occupational health services (OHS) at the provincial level is an important issue in view of the transformation process going on not only in OHS but also in the overall health care system in Poland. New principles of financing must be now based on the cost and effects analyses. Thus, the question arises on how to provide financial means adequate to needs of health care institutions resulting from their tasks and responsibilities. The gaps existing in the information system have encouraged us to examine the situation in regard to the structure of financing and internal allocation of financial means. The objectives were formulated as follows: to characterise the sources of financial means received by provincial OHS centres; to analyse the structure of financial means derived from various sources, taking into account forms of financial administration, using the data provided by selected centres; to define the relation between the financial means being at the disposal of OHS centres and the scope of their activities; The information on the financing system was collected using a questionnaire mailed to directors of selected OHS centres. The information collected proved to be a valuable source of knowledge on the above mentioned issues as well as on how far the new system of financing associated with a new form of financial administration--an independent public health institution--has already been implemented. The studies indicated that at the present stage of the OHS system transformation it is very difficult to formulate conclusions on the financing administration in provincial OHS centres.

[Cost-benefit analysis--occupational health and safety]. / Analiza typu koszt--korzysc dzialan na rzecz zdrowia i bezpieczenstwa w srodowisku pracy.

Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) as an economic tool for evaluating activities undertaken in different branches of the national economy may be also used in the field of occupational health and safety at workplaces. A growing economic approach to all actions concerning the work performance and the work environment increases the interest in this kind of analysis, what is reflected by numerous international conferences and seminars. A supporting role of CBA in the decision-making processes compels the development of methodology and empirical verification of its assumptions. International studies aimed at elaborating uniform guidelines for cost-benefit analyses apply mostly to interventions for prevention of accidents at work, health promotion, rehabilitation of workers and occupational disease prevention.

[Costs and benefits of medical prevention in small enterprises]. / Koszty i korzysci medycznej dzialalnosci profilaktycznej w malych zakladach pracy.

The current transformation of Polish economy towards free market compels a rational management of resources and more effective instruments for the cost-benefit control in small enterprises. One of the most important areas of activities in small enterprises is the promotion of medical prevention at the workplace. Employers are committed to ensure that all workers have access and benefit from medical prevention, as well as to bear all costs involved in prevention programmes, periodical prophylactic examinations, and actions aimed at promoting workers' health and improving working conditions. Planning these improvements, health certificates and recommendations resulting from the evaluation of working conditions should be taken into consideration. New legal regulations create the ground for employers to choose the most effective and appropriate measures for providing preventive care. The aim of the study was to elaborate and implement the cost-benefit analysis of medical prevention activities in enterprises, thought as one of decision-making tools to be used by employers. The principles of the cost-benefit analysis in enterprises algorithm of proceedings and the instructions how the analysis should be implemented, were elaborated. In addition, a supportive computer system was developed. The cost-benefit analysis was already implemented as a pilot project in several enterprises what helped to modify the method and collect numerical data necessary to perform the analysis and to define the scope of its application.

Occupational accidents in a selected chemical enterprise in Poland and an attempt to evaluate their economic effects.

An analysis was made of occupational accidents leading to temporary absence from work occurring in a selected chemical plant in the years 1988-1989. The authors also studied the possibilities of evaluating costs and financial losses for the enterprise due to occupational accidents. However, the results of the evaluation, in the Polish situation and based on records existing in the enterprise, were not very useful.

[Work intensity of regional industrial physicians and specialists in the Occupational Health Care Units in Poland 1981-1986]. / Intensywnosc pracy lekarzy rejonowych przemyslowych i lekarzy specjalistów w przemyslowych zespolach opieki zdrowotnej w Polsce (w latach 1981-1986).

The paper contains an analysis of condition of resources and scope of activity of all Industrial Health Care Units in Poland in the period between 1981-1986. Special attention is given to the problems of medical staff, especially industrial physicians and different specialists working for these Units. The relationship was discussed between the existing resources and the Units. The relationship was discussed between the existing resources and the Units activity. The activity was understood as the number of consultations given both in cases of spontaneous attendance and prophylactic (including periodical) medical examination. Also, disproportions between these two types of consultations were discussed. The results were interpreted in detail, so that the cause-effect relationships could be found. The sense and potential advantages coming from this analysis were presented.

The problems of the rational use of the medical staff in industrial health care complexes.

The awareness of resources scarcity in the occupational health care makes one analyze allocation in the selected institutions of occupational health service in Poland. The principal issue was to find out the differentiation in medical staff use and the costs involved. Such conclusions resulting from inputs and outputs evaluation are expected to be a basis for economic rationalization of resources allocation. An attempt to make such analysis has been made in Industrial Health Care Complexes (IHCCs) in Poland. Mainly, the costs of work of medical staff have been considered as an element of wider empirical study and comprehensive analysis of resources usage.