A recent study conducted by the magazine Momentum, published by the Danish Regions (KL), shows that the number of hospital stays in Denmark has significantly increased over the past two decades. Data indicates that nearly half of the Danish population had contact with a hospital during 2022, either for examinations, check-ups, or treatment. Specifically, 47 percent of Danes were in contact with a hospital last year, compared to 38 percent twenty years ago. In 2022, Danish hospitals were visited 11.9 million times, which is an increase of over 50 percent from 2002, when the number was 7.3 million visitors. This significant increase can largely be attributed to the new diagnostic possibilities within the healthcare system, leading to more examinations and check-ups.
Søren Thorgaard Skou, a professor of training and health at the University of Southern Denmark, states that many of the cases that end up in hospitals could actually be handled in the primary healthcare sector. “The vast majority of cases should be managed by a general practitioner, physiotherapist, or chiropractor, but we see a lot of cases being referred for imaging diagnostics and examination at the hospital,” he told Momentum. He adds that many patients are sent home again without the need for further treatment, resulting in wasted time and resources.
Mette Bryde Lind, director of the Arthritis Foundation, points out that the large number of hospital visits may have serious consequences for patients who truly need hospital treatment. “We are bombarding hospitals with referrals, and it will end up with the patients who need hospital treatment not being able to receive it or having to wait a long time because resources are being used on patients who could have been managed in the primary sector,” she says.
The development in the number of hospital visits raises questions about the need to rethink the way the healthcare system operates, in order to better prioritize resources and ensure that patients who truly need help receive the necessary treatment.