Denmark

When you need a doctor, contact a general practitioner who has an agreement with the public healthcare system. Nearly all GPs are self-employed and have an agreement with public healthcare. The practices are usually open on weekdays between 8:00 and 16:00. Some practices are also open on one evening of the week. You can see a specialist after receiving a referral from a general practitioner. Showing your identity card and stating your current address in Finland entitles you to free treatment by both general practitioners and specialists. If you require an interpreter, mention this when making a reservation and one can be provided for you. You may have to pay for the interpreter.

A general practitioner can provide you with a referral to a specialist. You do not need a referral to see an otorhinolaryngologist or an ophthalmologist.

During urgent attacks of illness that occur after 16:00 on weekdays, you can see an on-duty doctor (lægevagt). Lægevagten’s website (in Danish) contains contact information for the on-duty doctors. Laegevagten in the capital area is Akuttelefonen 1813 (website in Danish).

You can see a dentist who has an agreement with public healthcare. Show your identity card and state your current address in Finland at the dental clinic.

In dental care, you can receive reimbursement for certain treatments. The reimbursement is deducted directly from your dental bill. Please note, however, that some procedures (such as prosthetic teeth or crowns) are not reimbursed at all. Dental care is free in Denmark for children and young adults until the age of 22. This applies to persons born in 2004 or later.

The amount of reimbursement for prescribed medication depends on which medication have been prescribed to you and the amount of money that you have spent on medication over the calendar year. Show your identity card, state your current address in Finland, and present your prescription at the pharmacy.

You can purchase prescription medication from a Danish pharmacy with a prescription from any EU or EAA country. However, the prescription must meet certain information requirements, which you can find on the website of the Danish Medicines Agency (Lægemiddelstyrelsen).

In Denmark, medical prescriptions are generally valid for up to two years.

If necessary, a doctor will provide you with a referral for hospital treatment. In case of emergency, you can go directly to the first aid of a public hospital (skadestuen, Akutklinik or Akutmodtagelse), which treats acute injuries from the past 24 hours or illnesses that started during the same time period. In such a case, show your identity card, state your current address in Finland, and request that the hospital provide you with free treatment. Most Danish hospitals have a first aid station, but there are some hospitals that do not have walk-in clinics. Please also note that the first-aid clinics of some hospitals require advance notification by phone before arrival. You can find more information about the different regions’ accident and emergency departments from the citizens’ information service.

Urgent ambulance transport to the nearest hospital is free.

Remember to make sure that your patient data is transferred between countries. You can provide those responsible for your follow-up care or your health centre with the patient records concerning the treatment you received abroad. If the patient records need to be translated, you will be responsible for arranging that yourself.

If you fall ill and have to return to Finland using a more expensive means of travel (e.g. special transport) than you would normally use, you may be entitled to receive reimbursement from Denmark. The reimbursement covers the additional cost incurred due to the more expensive mode of travel. In other words, you will only pay what you would have paid for the return trip if you had been healthy. The prerequisite for the reimbursement is that you obtain a medical certificate from Denmark before your return trip, indicating the medical necessity for using the more expensive form of transport.

Please note that while this also applies to the Faroe Islands and Greenland, in such cases you must contact the appropriate local authorities.

The website of the public authority for patient safety (Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed) includes information about all healthcare professionals registered in Denmark. In the register of healthcare professionals, you can check whether a specific doctor or other healthcare professional holds a valid registration and whether, for example, they are under supervision.

If you have received erroneous or inadequate treatment at a Danish public or private hospital, clinic or other healthcare facility, you can file a complaint with the Danish Patient Complaints Authority (Styrelsen for Patientklager). You can also report malpractice or other treatment-related harm to the Danish patient insurance centre, the Danish Patient Compensation (Patienterstatningen).

The public healthcare system of Denmark operates at three levels: the state, the regions, and the municipalities. Publicly financed healthcare covers all primary, specialist, hospital, and preventive care, as well as mental healthcare, long-term care services, and dental services for children under the age of 18. Municipal dental care is provided free of charge to individuals under the age of 22 who were born after 31 December 2003. Under state supervision, the five regions are primarily responsible for hospitals, general practitioners, and psychiatric care, whereas the municipalities are responsible for various primary healthcare services and elderly care.