Denmark
In emergencies, call 112 for help.
Accessing care in Denmark
If you are temporarily staying in Denmark, you are entitled to medically necessary treatment. Residents of the Nordic countries may also be entitled to medically necessary treatment in Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Medically necessary treatment refers to treatment that cannot wait for your return to Finland. You may need it, for example, due to an acute illness or accident. You can also receive treatment for pregnancy, childbirth, or chronic conditions. The need for treatment must arise during the course of your stay.
You will receive treatment on the same terms and at the same cost as local residents. If your condition requires regular treatment during your temporary stay in Denmark, contact the Danish healthcare provider in advance to arrange the necessary care. Treatments that must be arranged in advance include, for example, dialysis, oxygen therapy, specialised asthma treatment, chemotherapy, and echocardiography for chronic autoimmune diseases. Regional patient advisors (national contact points) can direct you to the appropriate healthcare provider if, during your temporary stay in Denmark, you require care that must be arranged in advance.
Permanent residents of Finland do not need a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) in the Nordic countries. Therefore, showing your valid identity document and stating your current address is usually sufficient for receiving treatment in Denmark (incl. Greenland and the Faroe Islands). An identity document can be a passport, an identity card issued by the police, or a driver’s licence.
Keep in mind that although Greenland and the Faroe Islands are part of the Kingdom of Denmark, they operate under an extensive system of self-government. As a result, they have their own officials and authorities, and healthcare costs in these regions may vary from those in mainland Denmark. If you are traveling in either of these regions and require medical assistance or wish to request reimbursement for medical services received, contact the appropriate local authorities.
- For more information on healthcare in the Faroe Islands visit the website of the Faroese Ministry of Health
- For information on medical assistance during a temporary stay in Greenland, visit the Nordic Co-operation website.
Treatment covered by public healthcare is usually free of charge for people permanently residing in a Nordic country. If you did not present your ID when receiving treatment and therefore paid the full price, you can apply for reimbursement later. Before leaving Denmark, contact the social and health services in your place of stay and present all the original documents along with an identity card or your Kela card. Alternatively, you can apply for reimbursement from Kela after your return to Finland.
Sudden illness in Denmark
Doctor
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).
Dentist
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.
Medication
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.
Hospital treatment
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.
Patient data
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.
Returning to Finland (specific to the Nordic countries)
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.
Read also: Falling ill abroad.
Quality and safety of treatment in Denmark
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).
Healthcare system in Denmark
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.
Useful websites
If you are planning to travel to Denmark to use healthcare services, you should read our website for general information about seeking treatment abroad.
The website of the coordinating National Contact Point of Denmark contains information on seeking treatment in Denmark. The website also includes contact information of the five National Contact Points (patient advisors) in each of the five regions in Denmark.
Most general practitioners, specialists, and dentists provide treatment for publicly insured patients in Denmark according to regional agreements. However, they will also accept private patients who pay for the treatment themselves. More information concerning healthcare professionals in a specific municipality or region is available on the website sundhed.dk (in Danish).
The prices in Danish public hospitals are usually fixed (also known as DRG prices). Price information can be found in Danish on the website of the Danish Health Data Authority (Sundhedsdatastyrelsen). The National Contact Points in the five regions can provide more information about the price for the treatment in question.
Information on healthcare in Denmark is available from the Ministry of the Interior and Health of Denmark (Indenrigs- og Sundhedsministeriet) and on the citizens’ information service.
More info
National Contact Point of Denmark
Ministry of the Interior and Health of Denmark (Indenrigs- og Sundhedsministeriet)
Unforeseen medical treatment in Denmark (European Commission)
Denmark (European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies)
Pohjoismainen sosiaaliturvasopimus – Finlex (Nordic Convention on Social Security)