More Danes opt for private sector treatment:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The extension of the Danish law on free hospital selection saw some 900 patients opt for treatment in the private sector and a further 25 seek treatment abroad between July 1 and August 10 2002. The updated version of the law came into force on July 1 and applied to patients who were forced to wait for treatment paid for by their own county council for more than two months in the public sector. "At present we have entered into talks with 55 hospitals and clinics in total, but we are continuing to initiate new talks," said Kristian Ebbensgaard, chairman of the Danish association of county councils. The association stressed, however, that this trend was in no way alarming. During this 40-day period, some 100,000 patients were discharged from public sector hospitals.