In the first phase of preparing the WHC Barometer were chosen health benefits the most often performed and the most important for the health condition of society (in every medicine field presented in the WHC Barometer). These are: an appointment with the specialist, surgery and rehabilitation. In choice of the procedures  helped specially created by The Watch Health Care Foundation ranking of obstacles for health benefits (more about the Ranking) and opinions of the specialists (Evidence Based Medicine and Health Technology Assessment).

Data about waiting time for the realization of particular benefits were obtained by the phone interviews with benefit providers who have contract with The National Health Fund.

The WHC Barometer is published periodically. The verification of access to the health benefits is done as following: in February and March, then in June and July and between October and November, according to the scheme:

On the basis of collected information about waiting time there is defined the average time and the change in waiting time for:

• Realization of particular health benefit (the average of waiting time in places that take part in the research)
• Realization of benefits in the particular medicine filed (the weight average of the social significance for visits to specialists, diagnostic tests, surgery and rehabilitation)
• Summary of the realization of the benefits in Poland (the average of time for particular medicine fields).