Stop 1: Our first stop was at Region Syddanmark, located in Vejle, Denmark. As mentioned, the region is responsible for hospital care and finance allotment, and therefore visiting this center was a great learning experience. Here is a description of the region:
"Syddanmark's main objective is health care. The region also has overall responsibility for regional development, and to solve tasks that the new municipalities cannot resolve properly. The organization handles preparation of development plans with the vision for the region's development in nature and the environment, business, tourism, employment, education and culture and the development of peripheral and rural areas."
A self-described bureaucrat gave us a lengthy presentation on Danish healthcare and its financing. I thought it was interesting he kept referring to himself as a bureaucrat, that is not something I often hear back in the States. The region has 41 employees, and it is key to remember that they are politicians, elected by the people of Denmark. I took a ton of notes but I will not bore you with these, because even I was somewhat bored during this presentation. Lots of numbers and facts and figures, not enough hands-on. However they did give us candy at 10am in the morning, so there's a plus. A few points interesting and worth noting:
- Council discusses which hospitals with stay open or receive more funds and which will close or receive fewer funds.
- Denmark is on a "quality over distance" kick. They are trying to condense hospital resources so that fewer hospitals are open, but these hospitals every kind of specialist available for all 24 hours in the day, every day.
- Currently, there is a shortage of general practitioners. Medical schools have been accepting too few students, and now they are reversing their ways so that by 2020, there will be plenty of GP's.
Stop 2: Next we headed to Rødding to tour a general practitioner practice. This particular practice consisted of four GP's who each own 1/4 of the practice. Dr. Anne Birgitte V. Andersen spoke to us, and then we toured the facility. I'm not sure if I have mentioned this word before, but my absolute favorite Danish word/concept is hygge, which loosely translates to cozy. This doctors office had hygge; it was not at all similar to the sterile offices in the States. There were no tiny examining rooms with harsh lights and white walls: each doctor (and nurse) has their own large office, which is complete with a desk, examining table, mini library, and other necessary equipment. It is intended to make the patient feel comfortable and involved in their own care, as the patient is able to sit alongside the doctors desk to review any tests or records. A few points interesting a worth noting:
- Each doctor sees about 20 patients per day for 10-30 minutes each, with one doctor being on house-call duty.
- Acupuncture is big here. About 20% of GP's use this method, including one of the doctors at this facility.
- Danes do not go to the doctor expecting to be prescribed a medication for each and every ailment; in the US, most people want to walk out with a prescription.
- GP's handle most psychological problems. Only for "serious" are people sent to psychologists or psychiatrists, as both are hard to find specialists.
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| This is the outside of the office |
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| The waiting room, which like the rest of the facility had wood beams and floors |
Interestingly, the paramedic unit is attached to the building, and we were lucky enough to meet the on duty paramedic. He was really friendly and passionate about his job.
Stop 3: Our third stop was in Odense, and was definitely interesting. It clearly demonstrated Danish open mindedness and American prudence. That is all I will say about that, but if you really want to know more you can ask me.
Those are all three academic visits that we had, but we certainly did a lot more on our three day excursion. Hopefully you have enjoyed this little bit of learning, I need to go take a break from it and enjoy Tuesday night. Should I wear this out?
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