The article addresses findings from the Polish Supreme Audit Office (NIK) regarding the alarming working hours of doctors in Poland between 2021 and 2023. It reveals a particular case of a doctor who worked over 100 consecutive hours and another who amassed 4,881 hours in a single year, which averages to over 13 hours per day, including weekends and holidays. These extreme work conditions raise serious concerns about the real safety and quality of care patients receive under such pressures.

Grażyna Cebula-Kubat, representing the Doctors' Trade Union, stresses the need for reform, advocating for doctors to work under a single contract with safer conditions that ensure not only their well-being but also that of their patients. She emphasizes that the overwhelming workload leads to doctors having inadequate time to connect with their patients, resulting in a growing gap in trust. The focus on addressing bureaucratic demands rather than patient care is cited as a critical problem that detracts from the doctor-patient relationship.

Cebula-Kubat illustrates the issue with anecdotal evidence of patients feeling rushed during consultations, leading to frustration and confusion. This situation manifests in patients seeking other specialists, indicating a lack of satisfaction with their current healthcare experiences. The overarching theme of the article is the urgent call for systemic changes in Poland's healthcare framework to ensure that doctors are not overworked, ultimately impacting the quality of care provided to patients.