the labour force has decreased, thereby increasing the
dependency ratio.
On one hand, this has contributed to increasing health
expenditure, while funding of the healthcare system (i.e.
the tax basis) has decreased considerably. Facing this
challenge, Danish policy makers, researchers and other
relevant stakeholders have been forced to rethink and
innovate the Danish healthcare sector. In this regard,
information technology has been a major incentive for
change within the Danish healthcare system, both in terms
of organization and increased efficiency.
At the same time, the existing digital infrastructure
and framework in Denmark has been integral for the
implementation of strategies and solutions. Some of these
include:
Universal penetration of broadband
For successful implementation and execution of any digital
strategy, it is imperative that all the actors of the value
chain (citizens, authorities, pharmacies, general physicians,
hospitals, etc.) are connected at all time. This was possible
in Denmark owing to its universal penetration of broadband
and internet connectivity. According to the latest figures,
96.3% of the Danish population has access to internet.
E-ready population
In addition, Danish citizens are among the most e-ready in
the world. As per the Digital Economy and Society Index
(DESI), Denmark ranks 1 out of the 28 EU Member States.
The country is a frontrunner in the delivery of digital public
services among EU countries including eHealth services.
The same study highlights that in 2017, 71% of Danes
reported having at least basic digital skills, which is well
above the EU average of 57%. More than 50% of Danes
between 55 and 74 years old are also digitally skilled, which
is much higher than in the rest of the EU (34%).
Civil registration number
Having a civil registration number system further
strengthened the Danish eHealth strategies. The civil
registration number or the CPR (Central Person Register)
is a unique and personal identifier introduced in 1968
consisting of 10 numbers that is given to all Danish citizens
at birth. The registration number is used as an identifier
in almost all areas, i.e. taxation, banking, social services,
healthcare, etc. and public as well as many private
institutions register and archive information according
to civil registration numbers. In 2003, a digital signature
linked to each personal civil registration number was
44
Technology improves the efficiency of the Danish
healthcare sector
Following are some examples of some of the ways in
which technology and digitisation has improved the
efficiency of the Danish healthcare sector.
• Digitised workflows
Digitising processes between all stakeholders in the
Danish healthcare sector including general physicians
(GPs), pharmacies, hospitals, laboratories, municipal/
regional/ national authorities and citizens has been a
core element of optimizing workflows and improving
efficiency. Some key data points that point towards the
efficient system are:
o 100% of discharge letters from hospitals to GPs are
digitalized
o 97% of prescriptions are digitally sent from GPs to
Pharmacies
o 100% of lab results are electronically sent to GPs
from the lab
Digitization has given the much
needed cost effi ciency and
savings. Improved workfl ows
and has enabled to lighten the
administrative burden largely
which means the healthcare
professionals can devote their
time and professional skills on
patients.
introduced to enable online verification, i.e. secure online
access to personal information. Combined, the system of
civil registration numbers and digital signatures form the
basis of the digitised Danish public sector.
Strict data handling laws and legislation
Digitization in the healthcare sector gives stakeholders
access to highly personal and sensitive information
of individual Danes. Protecting this data is extremely
important in order to create a safe and trustworthy system
for everyone. Denmark has a long tradition of personal
data protection and strict legislation is in place to ensure