Poland has a unique history of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) dating back to the 17th century when Polish missionary Michael (Michał) Boym was a pioneer in the field. In the 20th century, his successor, Professor Zbigniew Garnuszewski, reintroduced acupuncture to medical practice in Poland. However, other methods of TCM and its holistic approach to patient care have not found their place in modern medicine in Poland. At present, the legal status of TCM in Poland remains unregulated, with TCM included in the broad spectrum of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices. Few reports are available on the use of TCM methods among the Polish population. Integrative medicine combines conventional medicine with evidence-based CAM interventions and considers all aspects of a patient’s health, including physical, emotional, mental, social, and environmental factors. An integrative healthcare model that incorporates TCM modalities and lifestyle recommendations as well as a whole person approach may provide a more sustainable solution for the constantly underfinanced Polish healthcare system, which faces challenges of multimorbidity in an aging society and limited access to care. The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, war in Ukraine, and ongoing climate crisis have underscored the need to strengthen the resilience of the Polish healthcare system and search for new solutions. A model of care that blends the best of biomedicine and TCM healing approaches may be a better option for both patients and the healthcare system in Poland.

Please cite this article as: Rybicka M, Zhao J, Piotrowicz K, Ptasnik S, Mitka K, Kocot-Kępska M, Hui KK. Promoting whole person health: Exploring the role of traditional Chinese medicine in Polish healthcare. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(6): 509–517.

波兰拥有独特的中医 (TCM) 历史，其历史可以追溯到 17 世纪，当时波兰传教士迈克尔 (Michał) Boym 是该领域的先驱。20 世纪，他的继任者 Zbigniew Garnuszewski 教授将针灸重新引入波兰的医疗实践。然而，其他中医方法及其对患者护理的整体方法尚未在波兰的现代医学中找到自己的位置。目前，中医在波兰的法律地位仍然不受监管，中医被纳入广泛的补充和替代医学（CAM）实践中。关于波兰人使用中医方法的报告很少。整合医学将传统医学与循证 CAM 干预措施相结合，并考虑患者健康的各个方面，包括身体、情感、心理、社会和环境因素。结合中医模式和生活方式建议以及全人方法的综合医疗保健模式可能会为资金持续不足的波兰医疗保健系统提供更可持续的解决方案，该系统面临着老龄化社会中多发病和获得护理机会有限的挑战。2019 年冠状病毒病大流行、乌克兰战争以及持续的气候危机凸显了加强波兰医疗保健系统的弹性并寻找新解决方案的必要性。对于波兰的患者和医疗保健系统来说，融合最好的生物医学和中医治疗方法的护理模式可能是更好的选择。

请引用本文：Rybicka M、Zhao J、Piotrowicz K、Ptasnik S、Mitka K、Kocot-Kępska M、Hui KK。促进全人健康：探索中医药在波兰医疗保健中的作用。整合医学杂志。2023；21（6）：509-517。