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HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN DENMARK

Updated: Apr 28


Healthcare system in Denmark is public; divided into national, regional and municipal levels. The administration is decentralized with the planning and management occurs at regional and municipal levels.

  • State level is responsible for preparing the legal framework for healthcare services, coordinating and administering the healthcare services

  • The delivery of primary and secondary healthcare services is the responsibility of five regions

  • Physicians are mostly privately employed and are paid by the regions

  • Municipalities are responsible for home care, nursing homes, general prevention, healthcare promotion, and rehabilitation care


OVERVIEW

Denmark has a universal healthcare system. The government collects taxes and grants revenues to the regions and municipalities, which are responsible for delivering the healthcare services. All the residents of Denmark get automatic enrollment in public finance healthcare. Primary, specialist, hospital, mental health, preventive, and long-term care services are available free of cost in Denmark.

Patients get supplementary insurance to cover the outpatient pharmaceuticals cost, dental care, and other services.


In Denmark, there are two groups of people

  • Group 1: Patients visit general practitioners first, and he/she refers to the specialist. 97% of the patient population opt this

  • Group 2: Patients can visit either a general practitioner or specialist. The patient can visit the specialist without visiting the general practitioners. 3% of the patient population opt for this. The patients must make a small co-pay

However, both the groups get the same reimbursement on pharmaceuticals.


STAKEHOLDERS

GOVERNMENT

National government:

The federal government is responsible for the regulation, supervision, planning, and monitoring of the healthcare services.

Parliament and four government agencies are responsible for regulation, planning, and management.

  • The Health Authority: Responsible for monitoring and regulating healthcare

  • The Medicines Agency: Responsible for market access

  • The Patient Safety Authority: Responsible for handling patients complaints and compensation

  • The Health Data Authority: Responsible for data collection and processing

  • The Danish Agency: Responsible for patient complaints

Regional:

Five regions governed by elected bodies are responsible for delivering the specialized services. Regions own hospitals, and are responsible for financing hospitals. Municipalities:

Municipalities are responsible for delivery of the healthcare services, including home care and nursing homes, general prevention, healthcare promotion, and rehabilitation care


SOURCES OF FINANCES

Public expenditure