Longer life expectancy, an increase in chronic diseases, and more expensive treatments are rising the demands for healthcare services. In order to address these challenges, the Danish healthcare system is undergoing a transformation which focus on strengthening primary care and municipal healthcare services.
The Danish healthcare system is a universal coverage system financed via taxes, which provides free and equal access to healthcare for all citizens. The five Danish regions are responsible for hospitals and local general practitioners, while the 98 municipalities are responsible for out-patient care services such as rehabilitation, prevention, and elderly care.
New initiatives include local healthcare centres and rehabilitation services, which will be provided by Danish municipalities in close cooperation with general practitioners. Read more here & here.
Digitalisation in the healthcare system
The Danish society in general is highly digitised and that goes for the healthcare sector as well. Every month 5.5 million digital messages are exchanged between 150 different systems.
The expansion of e-health in Denmark is based on public-private cooperation between the government, the regions, the municipalities, and the industry. This has brought innovation and implementation to a level where nearly all basic information from the various healthcare sectors has been digitised and made shareable. Read more here.
Public-private partnerships
Denmark has a long tradition of strong public-private partnerships. The close collaboration between the industry and the public healthcare system ensures that innovative medicines and solutions are offered to the patients.
A public-private partnership in the healthcare industry brings the expertise from both sectors together, improving the quality of the healthcare services available.
Watch a video about the Danish approach to public-private partnerships and read more here.
Assisted living
New assisted living technology plays an important role in Denmark’s elderly care. Elderly people in Denmark have high willingness to adopt new technologies, if they are easily available and improves their quality of life.
Supporting citizens in remaining self-sufficient and independent is an important element of the Danish care for the elderly and the disabled. With technological support schemes and empowering initiatives, citizens can stay in their own home for as long as they wish. Read more here.
Mental health
Mental health is a challenge for countries all around the world, and more than 10% of the world’s population live with a mental health disorder. In Denmark, we strive to improve mental health for all citizens by ensuring prevention and early diagnosis, and by improving treatment of mental illnesses.
We have successfully used digital solutions for psychiatry such as apps and telepsychiatry to reach more people with fewer resources. Read more here.
Chronic diseases
One in every three Danes over the age of 16 suffers from at least one chronic disease. Early detection is essential in order to initiate high quality and cost-effective treatment.
Introduction to home monitoring solutions for patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, or COPD is a high priority on a national level in Denmark, as these solutions help to empower chronic patients, increase their quality of life, and reduce the number of hospital admissions. The first national implementations will be ready during 2023. Read more here.
Innovative hospitals
Denmark is in the process of building 16 new highly specialised hospitals that are all constructed as hospitals of the future, considering the changing role of hospitals in our future healthcare system.
Modernising Denmark’s hospital capacity enables the dissemination of the latest knowledge, technology, and best practices throughout the country. Increasing digitalisation ensures efficient operation of core services in hospitals, with new work methods, technologies, and organisation. This free up resources for treatment and care, while also providing better health and safety conditions for staff. Read more here.
More publications can be found here.
Source: Healthcare DENMARK
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