The Military Institute of Medicine, a State Research Institute with the Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of National Defence, was established on 10 December 2002 during the reorganisation of higher military education on the basis of the Central Clinical Hospital of the Military Medical Academy.
It became a research and development unit and a public healthcare facility. However, this largest and "flagship" healthcare facility is still popularly known as the Hospital on Szaserów Street.
The history of this institution dates back to the interwar period. The first military hospital in Warsaw was the Training Hospital of the Sanitary Training Center in Ujazdów, which was destroyed during World War II.
The traditions of this Hospital, especially in the aspect of medical education, were symbolically transferred to the Military Medical Institute on 15 November 2003 during a ceremonial meeting of the Scientific Council at Ujazdowski Castle.
In 1945, the Ministry of National Defense Hospital with 180 beds and a polyclinic was opened, located in the building of the former Warsaw Nursing School in Warsaw at 78 Koszykowa Street. The first material equipment was obtained from the 43rd Field Evacuation Hospital, which was disbanded after the end of the war.
In 1948, to improve medical care for soldiers and their families in the Warsaw garrison, the Ministry of National Defense leadership decided to build the Central Hospital of the Ministry of National Defense in Warsaw. Initially, it was planned to be located on the site of the former Ujazdowski Hospital on Górnośląska Street. However, for strategic reasons, the new military hospital was located on the right bank of the Vistula River. The site chosen was Szaserów Street in Grochów. The site offered favorable conditions for connecting utilities to city networks, the possibility of building its own railway siding, and good transport links to downtown Warsaw. The Hospital Construction Committee, headed by Major General Professor Dr. Bolesław Szarecki, established the tasks and a detailed investment program. It was assumed that the hospital would provide inpatient and outpatient treatment for all soldiers and individuals eligible for military health care, including patients referred from military hospitals across the country who required specialized care.
It was envisioned as a service hospital with approximately 1000 beds, enabling diagnostics and treatment in line with the latest medical knowledge and technological advancements. Subsequently, the hospital was granted clinical status and was also designated as the Central Hospital of the Ministry of National Defense. During the final phase of construction, the decision was made to adapt the hospital to conduct clinical research, particularly in areas related to the specific nature of military healthcare, training, and the specialization of military physicians.
In 1964, the hospital was officially opened. During the opening, the following was stated: "Medical diagnostics, treatment of the sick, and scientific work, like any creative work, requires a suitable atmosphere and thrives the longer its tradition in a given environment." These words have lost none of their relevance. The intellectual and scientific potential of the institution grew, "medical schools" were established, and masters nurtured successors. The opening of the new Central Military Hospital on Szaserów Street was associated with the closure of two independent military hospitals: the 1st Military District Hospital on Nowowiejska Street and the 2nd Central Clinical Hospital of the Military Medical Academy on Koszykowa Street. They were replaced by a single organizational unit, bearing different names between 1964 and 2002:
2nd Central Clinical Hospital of the Military Medical Academy – 1964
Institute of Postgraduate Education of the Military Medical Academy with the 2nd Central Clinical Hospital of the Military Medical Academy with the rights of the Faculty of Postgraduate Education – 1967
Postgraduate Education Center of the Military Medical Academy – 1974
Central Military Clinical Hospital with the WAM Postgraduate Education Center – 1983
Central Clinical Hospital of the Military Medical Academy – 1986
Central Clinical Hospital of the Military Medical Academy with a Polyclinic, Independent Health Care Facility – 1999
Military Medical Institute with the Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of National Defence – 2002
The Szaserów Hospital is the central clinical, teaching, consulting, and research center for the military health service. Its primary statutory duties include:
high-level multi-specialty diagnostic and therapeutic activities in line with the progress of medical knowledge;
providing specialist medical assistance in emergency situations, taking into account the specific nature of the military;
undergraduate and postgraduate education of military health service physicians in all specialties;
scientific and research activities in the field of clinical medicine, organization of military health care and biomedical sciences, taking into account the needs of the military health service;
highly specialized consultations provided to local military health service facilities.
Today, the Military Institute of Medicine, State Research Institute (central clinical hospital of the Ministry of National Defense) Called the "Szaserów Hospital," it is one of the largest, multi-profile, and highly referenced accredited healthcare facilities in Poland. It is accredited by the Minister of Health and has quality management systems compliant with ISO and AQAP standards. The hospital occupies over 22 hectares, with a total building area of 120 m². Nearly 3 employees from 44 clinics, departments, and facilities provide care to approximately 100 patients annually. Through ongoing investments, the Military Institute of Medicine (WIM) is increasing the comprehensiveness of its medical services.
In line with global trends Oncology Clinic The Day Chemotherapy Center offers primarily outpatient treatment. The Day Chemotherapy Center has modern facilities, and thanks to the introduction of portable pumps, multi-hour chemotherapy infusions can be administered without the need for hospitalization. Patients can use a hair loss prevention system. The Breast Unit accreditation confirms the comprehensive services provided to patients diagnosed with breast cancer. The Radiotherapy Department is equipped with a therapeutic line featuring three state-of-the-art irradiation units, enabling the precise and safe use of the latest radiotherapy techniques.
In the Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Therapy, young people Scientists are using molecular and cellular biology techniques to conduct innovative research projects. Laboratory scientists are focusing on understanding the impact of hypoxia on the course of diseases, particularly cancer. They are striving to understand the biological basis of diseases in order to develop new therapies.
Medical Simulation Laboratory It is one of the most modern in Poland. It serves to enhance the competencies of medical personnel in uniformed services. Modern patient simulators are used during training. The mannequins reproduce the body's physiological responses, reacting to hemorrhagic shock, cardiac arrest, pneumothorax, rescue procedures, and medication administration. Everything is monitored by a computer and instructors hidden behind a one-way mirror. The equipment used in the lab can be easily transported, allowing training to be conducted on a training ground or at a military facility.
Patients of the Clinic of Psychiatry, Combat Stress and Psychotraumatology These include soldiers of the Polish Army, veterans of foreign missions, officers of other uniformed services, and civilians who have been involved in traumatic events. The work of the entire clinic team contributes to the high effectiveness of the treatment process. Diagnostics and therapy utilize the latest tools, such as the Vienna Test Kit and virtual reality. As part of occupational therapy, patients attend cinema, theater, and concerts, participate in sports activities, and spend time by the fire in the clinic garden.
One of the latest investments of WIM is a company with a dozen or so employees hyperbaric chamber. Thanks to multi-profile cooperation with the Hospital Emergency Department and the Cardiac Surgery Clinic of the Military Institute of Medicine, it was possible to implement the world's first effective life-sustaining treatment using extracorporeal circulation and hyperbaric therapy for decompression sickness.
At the Cardiac Surgery Clinic Approximately 600 heart and major vessel surgeries are performed. We also treat coronary artery disease and cardiac arrhythmias using endoscopic ablation with simultaneous closure of the left atrial appendage. The Clinic's team develops minimally invasive techniques, which account for 30 percent of all surgeries. Modern, comprehensive treatment using heart-sparing techniques allows patients to quickly return to daily activities. We are the only cardiac surgery facility that performs surgery on beating hearts without the use of costly and burdensome cardiopulmonary bypass, in 98% of patients with complete coronary revascularization.
Our team of invasive cardiologists performs TAVI procedures, or percutaneous prosthetic valve implantation, in patients with severe aortic stenosis, as well as other structural procedures such as percutaneous closure of atrial septal defects and atrial appendage closure. These procedures do not require opening the chest, so patients can leave the hospital the day after surgery. We treat patients with heart attacks and also perform the most challenging procedures to unblock chronically occluded coronary arteries. In patients with stable coronary artery disease, we diagnose the presence of stenosis using state-of-the-art techniques such as intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coronary imaging (OCT). In the Electrophysiology Laboratory, we diagnose and treat patients with rhythm and conduction disturbances. On the one hand, these are patients with very slow heart rates, and we implant pacemakers in them, which normalize their function and protect against sudden slowdowns. On the other hand, we treat patients with rapid heart rate, i.e. arrhythmia, and we perform ablation procedures, which involve finding the focus of the arrhythmia and then destroying it.
Clinical Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Burn Treatment Surgery is the only accredited burn treatment center in the Mazovia region and one of seven in the country. We utilize cutting-edge technologies in the treatment of burn wounds. We conduct research on new temporary wound covering materials, both for clinical applications and for their suitability for wartime field surgery. A key research and implementation achievement is the development of a method for surgical treatment of burn wounds using the Tromboguard antihemorrhagic dressing.
Ophthalmology Clinic is a national leader in the surgical treatment of eye diseases. Annually, our physicians perform over 3.000 cataract procedures, 600 glaucoma surgeries, 600 vitrectomy procedures for retinal conditions, and 4.000 injections for the treatment of cystoid macular edema, diabetes, and age-related macular degeneration. We specialize in minimally invasive glaucoma surgery, 3D vitrectomy, and ocular protective apparatus surgery. We are also developing corneal transplantation. The clinic also serves as an ophthalmic trauma center, which requires a fully qualified team.
The Military Medical Institute, State Research Institute, is a fragment of the rich history of the Hospital on Szaserów Street. It is likely that in the coming years, the Military Medical Institute, State Research Institute, and the Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of National Defense will continue to provide high-quality treatment and medical assistance. Progress in highly specialized diagnostics and treatment should continue, postgraduate education for physicians, including military physicians, should become increasingly effective, and scientific research should be further developed. This institution should continue to serve society as a whole well.
