eHealth in Denmark
Key figures
5.8M
people
5
regions
9.9% of the GDP
dedicated to the health sector in 2019
The Danish health system offers universal coverage and is financed by general taxation
Denmark is composed of 5 regions and 98 municipalities responsible for health care provision. In 2007, a reform centralised planning and regulation but decentralised responsibility for primary and secondary care. Today, the health sector is managed at three political and administrative levels:
- State services ensure the homogeneity of care provision throughout the country.
- The regions own and administer the public hospitals.
- The municipalities are responsible for home health services, housing for the elderly and disabled, and preventive actions.
The health care system is financed to the rate of 84% by taxes. Only dental care, physiotherapy and the partial reimbursement of certain drugs require a financial contribution from the patient.
A la rencontre des ambassadeurs
Anne Smetana, attachée santé à l’Ambassade du Danemark en France
Health databases: Pillars of eHealth
Denmark has established a national platform for personal and aggregated health data. Sundhed.dk gives citizens access to the data from their personalized medical record.
Collected in a systematic way that adheres to interoperability rules, the platform brings together numerous sources of health data. The opportunity to reuse it for research and innovation is promising.
How do you access the Danish market ?
1. Contact Invest in Danemark
Invest in Denmark is the national investment agency responsible for welcoming international companies wishing to enter the Danish market. Thanks to its experts in the development of digital medical technologies, it offers personalized support to entrepreneurs and helps them design and market their solutions
2. Get close to the regions, the first point of contact for innovation and access to the Danish market
The regions are responsible for both health innovation and delivering health care. They are federated at the national level by the Association of Danish regions, which promotes the exchange of information and technology. The role of its Innovation Council is to ensure that the best technological solutions are made available throughout the country.
It is also a one-stop shop that connects innovators and hospitals, thereby facilitating access to eHealth innovations in the marketplace
3.Get in touch with regional hubs in charge of healthcare innovation
Each of the five Danish regions has its own health innovation centre, which is in direct contact with the regional healthcare services:
- The Ideas Clinic in North Jutland
- Innovation in the Central Jutland region
- Southern Denmark Health Innovation in the region of Southern Denmark
- Data and development support in the Zeeland region
- Health research and innovation in the capital region
4. Take into account standards and benchmarks for health data exchange on the Medcom platform
Medcom, a public organization, is tasked with strengthening digital communication within the Danish healthsystem, and to define standards for exchanging health data. .
The country is focusing on the secondary use of health data for innovation and research. The Danish Health Data Authority (DHDA) is part of the Ministry of Health, and its main task is to develop and manage national health registers in order to ensure complete, valid health data for patient treatment, development, planning, and research
5. Conduct clinical trials with Trial nation, the unique portal for clinical trials
Assigned to the Ministry of Health and its 5 regions, Trial Nation centralizes clinical trial applications to facilitate the process.
Part of the clinical trials can even be conducted in a decentralised way via digital recruitment and electronic consultations, electronic data collection systems, portable devices, and direct delivery to patients.
6. Obtain market authorization from Lægemiddelstyrelsen, the Danish drug agency
The Lægemiddelstyrelsen is the Danish regulatory authority for the marketing of Health products. It is present at every stage of gaining market access. Its role is to:
- Regulate the Danish pharmaceutical market and license their products for the Danish market
- Monitor the market for health products
- Authorise clinical trials
- Authorise and set reimbursement rates for health products and services
Government authorities and platforms
Ensuring efficient operation and cooperation within the healthcare system
Hubs and innovation clusters
They bring together and facilitate the incubation of new technologies
Training courses
Universities and their groups that offer training and support for digital health innovations