The Danish Patient Insurance Act of 1991: first experiences

Area of Science:

• Health Policy
• Legal Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Denmark implemented a national Patient Insurance Scheme in 1991, effective July 1, 1992.
• The previous system relied on a negligence-based liability framework for patient injury claims.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the initial impact and effectiveness of Denmark's Patient Insurance Scheme.
• To compare the Scheme's coverage and efficiency against the former fault liability system.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the newly established Patient Insurance Scheme's operational framework.
• Comparative assessment of the Scheme against the preceding negligence-based liability system.

Main Results:

• The Patient Insurance Scheme provides significantly more extensive coverage than the previous negligence-based system.
• The Scheme demonstrates considerably faster processing times for claims compared to the lengthy court decisions under the fault liability system.

Conclusions:

• The Danish Patient Insurance Scheme offers a more comprehensive and efficient approach to patient injury compensation.
• While still early, the Scheme represents a substantial improvement over the traditional fault liability system in Denmark.