training

Year family medicine established: unknown

Type of Training: Family medicine education is mandatory in medical school, (Optegelse, 2011) followed by residency (Masters in continuing education) (Personal interview, 2018)

Length of Training: After 5 years of medical school, there is a 1 year foundation program followed by a 5-year residency (Royal College of General Practioners, 2018)

Number of institutions that offer family medicine: There is a postgraduate training program for family doctors in three of the four medical schools in Denmark, (personal interview, 2018)

Aarhus University, the University of Copenhagen,

Number of family medicine residents graduating each year (2018): 1000 family medicine residents (personal interview, 2018)

practice

Number of family doctors in country (2016): 3,680 family physicians (Eurostat, 2016)

Physician to population ratio (2006): 77.5 family physicians per 100,000 people (Masseria et al., 2009).

DALY: 13,447 per 100,000 individuals (Due to all Causes).

Life Expectancy:

• Females 2017: 82.9 years

• Males 2017: 79.2 years

Mortality rate 2017:

• 2016 Males: 82 per 1,000 male adults.

• 2016 Females: 52 per 1,000 female adults.

Infant Immunization-HepB3: % of 1-year-old children received: N/A

College of Family Physicians (Y or N):

• Yes: The college of General Practice of Denmark (DSAM- Danish Society for General Medicine).

training

It is currently unknown what year family medicine was created, but it is now mandatory in medical school and a main subject in all universities (Optagelse, 2011). In post-graduate residency training, half the time is spent in hospital, and half in family medicine (personal interview, 2018). After 5 years of medical school, there is a 1 year foundation program followed by a 5-year residency (Royal College of General Practioners, 2018)

There is a postgraduate training program for general practitioners in three of the four medical schools in Denmark, and 1000 family medicine residents graduate each year (personal interview, 2018)

practice

As of 2006, there were 77.5 family physicians per 100,000 people, (Masseria et al., 2009) with 3,680 family physicians now  practicing in Denmark (Eurostat, 2016). It has been commented that “general practice is the public primary gateway to health care, where all common diseases and conditions affecting the population are handled.” (Kringos et al., n.d.). Family physicians, commonly referred to as GP’s have a limited gatekeeping role, as patients have direct access to ophthalmologists, ENT specialists, cardiologists, neurologists and surgeons, and only need a referral to visit GP practice nurses, specialist nurses, home care nurses, dentists, midwives, occupational therapists and speech therapists. With a private out-of-pocket payment, the patient can go directly to gynecologists/obstetricians, pediatricians and specialists in internal medicine (Kringos et al., n.d.)  It has been said that “General practice is the public primary gateway to health care, where all common diseases and conditions affecting the population are handled.” (Kringos et al., n.d.)

GPs have a limited gatekeeping role, as patients have direct access to ophthalmologists, ENT specialists, cardiologists, neurologists and surgeons, and only need a referral to visit GP practice nurses, specialist nurses, home care nurses, dentists, midwives, occupational therapists and speech therapists. With a private out-of-pocket payment, the patient can go directly to gynecologists/obstetricians, pediatricians and specialists in internal medicine (Kringos et al., n.d.)