Debate looms over Danish healthcare future

The Health Structure Commission of Denmark, chaired by Jesper Fisker, will present its proposals for the future healthcare system structure in mid-June, expecting intense debates. Fisker, also the CEO of the Danish Cancer Society, withheld details but emphasized the need for diverse models without ranking them. Discussions are underway about the role of regions, with some political parties wanting to dissolve them and others to maintain them. Conflict also lies in the allocation of responsibilities between municipalities, which manage community healthcare, and regions, running hospitals. The government will issue a health initiative later this year based on the commission’s recommendations focusing on strengthening local healthcare to reserve hospitals for the most ill. All parties recognize the challenges, including a rapidly aging population, a rise in chronic illnesses, and personnel shortages, particularly in care services.