Classifications

The Danish Health Data Authority develops and maintains classifications that are used the Danish healthcare system.

The Danish Medical Coding Classification System

Standardised terminology and classification systems are used as a basis for information about tests, treatments and diagnoses. The Danish Health Data Authority is responsible for The Danish Medical Classification System - Sundhedsvæsenets Klassifikations System (SKS) - which is used throughout the Danish healthcare system.

The Danish classification system consists of classifications of diagnoses, based on World Health Organization’s International Classification of Disease, currently ICD10  with national extensions, and classifications of treatments. Further the Nomenclature, Properties and Units terminology (NPU) is used in laboratory medicine. The classification systems are updated quarterly, and change requests are handled by the national release centers at The Danish Health Data Authority.

Patient registration and reporting

Every time a citizen has been in contact with a hospital, contact information has to be reported to The National Patient Register. This applies to both public hospitals, private hospitals and medical specialist clinics. Data is entered into The National Patient Register via the local electronic health record system or The Danish Health Data Authority’s Electronic Registration System.

The National Patient Register contains data about dates of admission and discharge, diagnoses, operations, treatments etc. To ensure the quality of the data in The National Patient Register, the Danish Health Data Authority has established guidelines that hospitals etc. must adhere to when reporting and gives advice on registration practices. The National Patient Register was established in 1977 and holds information on all hospital admissions in somatic care since then and from 1994 also information on patients in out-patient and psychiatric care.

The National Catalogue of Health Organisations 

All Danish healthcare providing organisations must be registered in The National Catalogue of Health Organisations, which is governed by The Danish Health Data Authority. Organisational units may be divided into subunits. 

The National Catalogue of Health Organisations makes it possible to follow the activity in the Danish healthcare sector in general as well as the activity in each organisational unit. Data from The National Catalogue of Health Organisations is used for several purposes such as administration, health data communication, data reporting, finance, research and quality development.