The second conference in the series "Preparing and Utilizing Medical Facilities to Perform State Defense Tasks" was held at the Military Institute of Medicine – National Research Institute in Warsaw on January 28, 2026. Representatives of central and local governments, as well as healthcare institutions, participated in the event.

This was the second meeting in a series initiated by the Military Medical Institute – National Research Institute, dedicated to preparing the healthcare system for national defense needs. Following the great success of the first conference, which focused on theoretical issues, the second edition emphasized the practical aspects of building a national medical base capable of functioning in times of threat. Its goal was to identify specific solutions, tools, and organizational models enabling the transition from strategy to practical action.
Participants discussed key issues for the country's health security, which are consistent with the concept of a coherent "medical shield" capable of operating effectively even in the face of major disruptions. Topics included the resilience of medical infrastructure, the continuity of the healthcare system, and the ability to respond in crisis and conflict situations. Presentations addressed issues such as the technical security of hospitals, the creation of strategic reserves of medical equipment and supplies, evacuation and triage systems for the wounded, surgical blood transfusion, logistics and supply chains, medical communications and information systems, and the integration of civilian and military resources.

The conference was opened by Lieutenant General Prof. Grzegorz Gielerak, Director of the Military Institute of Medicine-National Research Institute, with an inaugural lecture entitled "Medical Shield in Practice – Resilient Infrastructure and Strategic Reserves." The presentation focused on measures of healthcare system resilience, including 72-hour autonomy of critical infrastructure, territorial expansion capacity of hospital emergency departments, manual redundancy of critical functions, and practical aspects of their implementation as part of an infrastructure readiness audit.

The second expert block, titled "Evacuation, logistics, blood therapy", focused on managing the triage and evacuation of the wounded in tactical situations, surgical blood therapy, and logistical support for the healthcare system. The joint presentation was attended by: Capt. Bartłomiej Kwapisz, M.A., Lt. Artur Skobel, M.A., and Dr. Jolanta Korsak, MD, PhD, Head of the Department of Clinical Transfusion Medicine at the Military Institute of Medicine-National Research Institute. The speakers presented models of cooperation between military and civilian logistics, new solutions for the evacuation of the wounded, and concepts for securing blood and blood-derived materials for mass casualty incidents.

Third thematic block – "Medical Communication and Information System" – was devoted to the issues of efficient communications and access to medical information as essential conditions for maintaining the continuity of the healthcare system in emergency situations. The lecture, titled "A Medical Communication and Information System for Wartime: Continuity of Operations Without Technology," was delivered by Colonel Piotr Murawski, PhD, Head of the Teleinformatics Department at the Military Institute of Medicine-National Research Institute. The presentation focused on the concept of a resilient medical information system that integrates data on casualties, resource availability, and real-time evacuation capabilities.

Following the lectures, a panel discussion titled "Medical Infrastructure Resilience – Hospitals Facing Threats" was held, moderated by Mariusz Gierej, spokesperson for WIM-PIB. Participants included:
Lieutenant General Prof. Dr. Hab. n. med. Grzegorz Gielerak – Director of the Military Institute of Medicine-National Research Institute
Mirosław Saliszewski (on behalf of Agnieszka Tuderek-Kuleta) – Head of the Department of Defence Planning and Crisis Management of the Ministry of Health
Anna Brzezińska – Member of the Board of the Masovian Voivodeship
Lt. Col. Robert Marszel – Head of the Defense Infrastructure Department of the Special Infrastructure Office of the Ministry of National Defense
Sebastian Twaróg – Director of the National Blood Center

The conference concluded with an open debate with the participants and a summary of key conclusions.
The event demonstrated the importance of combining medical, logistical, technological, and organizational perspectives in the process of building a resilient healthcare system, as well as the practical significance of the actions undertaken. The conference was a continuation of a series of expert meetings aimed at developing coherent, realistic, and implementable solutions to strengthen the healthcare system's preparedness for national defense needs.