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If you or your family need any form of medical assistance – either because of a common cold or a more serious illness or accident – it is important, as well as comforting, to know how the system works and who to contact.
Below you will find information about a variety of topics, gain insight into how the healthcare system works in Denmark, and find telephone numbers and other contact details for emergency medical services.
In short, the Danish public healthcare system is financed by taxation, and the scope of its services is comprehensive, encompassing among other things hospital services and visits to a general practitioner. However, you need to pay for medicine and dental treatment.
It is also possible to get treatment from private hospitals and health clinics where you pay for treatment. For instance when the public health system has waiting lists, you may choose a private hospital or clinic to avoid waiting for treatment. However, in some cases, the public healthcare system pays for the treatment.
Denmark is divided into five administrative regions. Their primary responsibility is healthcare, including hospital services, psychiatry, health insurance, general practitioners, specialists, emergency medical services, and the operation of a variety of social institutions.
Read more about the different regions, their services and facilities, on their websites.
Region Hovedstaden: Capital Region of Denmark
Region Midtjylland: Central Denmark Region
Region Nordjylland: North Denmark Region
Region Sjælland: Region Zealand
Region Syddanmark: Region of Southern Denmark
If you live in the Municipality of Aarhus or in one of the municipalities around Aarhus, you live in Central Denmark Region (Favrskov, Hedensted, Herning, Holstebro, Horsens, Ikast-Brande, Lemvig, Norddjurs, Odder, Randers, Ringkøbing-Skjern, Samsø, Silkeborg, Skanderborg, Skive, Struer, Syddjurs, Viborg, and Aarhus). You can read more about Central Denmark Region and its healthcare services here.
Moreover, visit Aarhus University Hospital's website.
Visit www.patientforsikringen.dk for information about Patient Insurance and the laws and regulations applicable to patients’ rights.
As of 1 January 2018 a new pharmacy law is implemented resulting in new opening hours for pharmacies. Below you find a list of A, B and C-Service pharmacies in the Central Denmark Region.
A-Service Pharmacies are open 6.00 – 24.00 all days all year round.
B-Service Pharmacies are open 8.00 – 21.00 on weekdays, 8.00 – 9.00 and 18.00 – 21.00 on Saturdays and 10.00 – 15.00 on Sundays and bank holidays.
C-Service Pharmacies are open 8.00 – 19.00 on weekdays, 8.00 – 9.00 and 16.00 – 18.00 on Saturdays and 10.00 – 13.00 on Sundays and bank holidays.
In case you need medicine outside opening hours, you need to contact the emergency doctor service (vagtlægen) on telephone number 7011 3131 (only valid for the Central Denmark Region). Please do keep in mind that this service is for emergencies only. In case you need to renew your prescription, you need to contact your general practitioner!
Central Denmark Region
A-Service (A-vagttjeneste) |
B-Service (B-vagttjeneste) |
C-Service (C-vagttjeneste) |
Aarhus Løve Apotek | Herning Løve Apotek | Grenaa Apotek |
Randers Sønderbro Apotek | Horsens Løve Apotek (pharmacist present) | Skive Løve Apotek City Vest |
Viborg Svane Apotek | Ringkøbing Løve Apotek | |
Holstebro Svane Apotek | ||
Silkeborg Svane Apotek |
More information
Visit www.sum.dk for information about the Ministry of Health and the Danish healthcare system.