On 28 February 2023, the anniversary gala of the List of One Hundred plebiscite took place – for the 20th time, the editors of “Puls Medycyny” presented the most influential doctors in Polish medicine. Prof. Henryk Skarżyński –  Director of the World Hearing Center at the Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, national consultant in otorhinolaryngology, Chairman of the General Council of Research Institutes, correspondent member of the Polish Academy of Sciences, founding member of the World Hearing Forum at the WHO – was recognized by the Chapter for the third time in the history of the plebiscite as the most influential person in Polish medicine. Ranked as high as 15th place was Prof. Piotr H. Skarżyński, Deputy Head of the Department of Teleaudiology and Screening at IFPS, Director of Science and Development at the Institute of Sensory Organs, a teaching assistant at the Department of Heart Failure and Cardiac Rehabilitation at WUM; co-founding member of the World Hearing Forum at the World Health Organization. The plebiscite summarizes the achievements of the nominees in various fields of medicine and the health care system in a given year.

– We remember very well how the listing was in times of pandemics.-  Małgorzata Konaszczuk, editor-in-chief of the “Pulse of Medicine”, said. – People, by virtue of their speciality or function, were distinguished for their activities in this area. The times shape heroes. In the past year, professional achievements of our laureates have been intertwined with activities related to the organization of assistance to wounded and refugees from Ukraine. However, recent years have clearly shown that events, the social, economic or historical situations of the year under review are not without significance for the final assessment. –  M. Konaszczuk added.

– For me, the past year was both very busy and full of various intertwined events in scientific, clinical, organizational, educational and artistic activities. – Prof. Henryk Skarżyński summarized. – First of all, it was a year when I presented documented contributions to the global development of science and medicine in the area of the specialities I represent, i.e. otorhinolaryngology, audiology and phoniatrics, and pediatric otolaryngology, at the world, European and national forums. This referred to three anniversaries that are extremely important for me personally, which reflect my actual influence on the development of human communication, which is the foundation for the development of modern world societies: The 30^th anniversary of launching the deafness treatment program in Poland; the 25^th anniversary of the presentation in New York of a new strategy for the use of cochlear implants not only in total deafness; and the 20^th anniversary of the world’s first partial deafness surgery –  Prof. Henryk Skarżyński added.

Prof. Piotr H. Skarżyński, who joined this honourable group for the fifth time, stressed that this special award was a great success for the entire team he worked with in Poland and other countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. – I would like to thank my team of 630 professionals for their dedication to patients. I am glad that we can implement and promote the achievements of Polish otolaryngology in Poland and abroad. It is appreciated by patients and wide circles of people,-  Prof. Piotr H. Skarżyński emphasized.

For the second time, the jury recognized Maciej Miłkowski, Deputy Minister of Health, responsible for, among other things, the Department of Drug Policy and Pharmacy, the Department of Budget and Finance, the Department of Public Health in the field of addictions, the Department of Treatment in the field of tariffs for services and supervision of the activities of the Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Tariff Classification, the National Medicines Institute, as a person having the most positive influence on the health care system in Poland.