E-health in Denmark

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.

One of the key elements for e-health in Denmark is the Danish Civil Registration System that allows for a unique digital identification of every citizen. All healthcare records e.g., in the hospital, at the GP or dentist are digital. Furthermore, Denmark has an extensive IT-infrastructure that allows for data sharing and supports collaborations across sectors.

A prime example of e-health in Denmark is the Shared Medication Record, an electronic register containing all Danish citizens’ medicine information. It allows for real-time updates and information sharing on a patient’s medication between hospital, GP, municipality, and the pharmacy. The patient has access to his/her own data through an app and can also request prescription renewals through the app. Additionally, parents can access their children’s data through the app.