Sixteen of the hospitals will be built using grants from the Danish Government, i.e. from Kvalitetsfonden. These 16 hospital construction projects are therefore called the "Kvalitetsfonden projects". The regions also have a number of construction projects in the area of health and psychiatry they are financing directly.
Modernising the hospital structure in Denmark
The regions want to build future-proof and flexible hospitals that support the desired level of quality and focus on the patient.
The new hospitals are intended to provide a framework and conditions for:
- better organisation of coherent patient treatment
- increased patient safety (e.g. through single occupancy rooms and a reduction in hospital-related infections)
- streamlining procedures through the use of new technology and health innovation
- less transportation of patients, staff and goods between hospitals
- streamlining the efficiency of back-up shifts, laboratory functions, radiology, etc.
- better utilisation of technical equipment, scanners, etc.
- merging
- administrative and technical functions
The need for modern hospitals
The regions intend to modernise the existing hospital structure through the new construction projects. Investment in the new physical facilities is based on the need for greater specialisation.
The regions are gathering treatment into fewer hospitals in order to increase professional quality at each treatment centre and utilise resources as efficiently as possible.
The existing buildings are not an adequate base for improving quality and fulfilling the expert recommendations regarding the pooling of various functions. The physical facilities are simply out-of-date in relation to modern hospital operations.
The new hospital structure aims to improve the quality of the hospital system and support implementation of the Danish Health and Medicines Authority's recommendations in its report entitled "Improved acute response – planning foundation for the regional health system" ("Styrket akutberedskab – planlægningsgrundlag for det regionale sundhedsvæsen").
Financing the new hospital construction projects
The need to modernise the hospital structure and the associated investments in physical facilities, new technology and equipment forms part of the budget agreement between the Danish Government and Danish Regions for 2008.
Kvalitetsfonden was established as part of the Danish Government's quality reform of 2007. DKK 25.5 billion of the fund's resources are to be spent on government co-financed investment in a new and improved hospital structure. The region's own financial contribution of approx. 40 per cent is added to this, bringing the total investment pool to approx. DKK 41.4 billion (2009 prices).
In addition to the Government's co-financing of the 'Kvalitetsfonden construction projects', the regions are financing and planning a number of construction projects in the area of health and psychiatry. The largest of these construction projects, together with the Kvalitetsfonden construction projects, are shown on this map of Denmark.