Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
The Danish Health Data Authority (Sundhedsdatastyrelsen)
1.2. Contact organisation unit
Departement for Analysis, Statistics and Economics, ASØ
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
Ørestads Boulevard 5
DK-2300 Copenhagen S
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
16 July 2024
2.2. Metadata last posted
15 July 2024
2.3. Metadata last update
1 May 2025
3.1. Data description
Statistics on healthcare non-expenditure provide information on healthcare human resources, healthcare facilities, and healthcare utilisation.
The people active in the healthcare sector (doctors, dentists, nurses, etc.) and their status (graduates, practising, migration of doctors and nurses, etc.)
The available healthcare technical resources and facilities (hospital beds, beds in residential care facilities, medical technology, etc.)
The health activities or patient contacts undertaken (hospital discharges, surgical procedures, ambulatory care data, etc.).
Annual national and regional data are provided in absolute numbers or as a rate of a relevant population. Data are based mainly on administrative records (see section 18.1 ‘Source data’ for more information)
3.2. Classification system
For the collection of data on healthcare non- expenditure, the classifications used in the System of Health Accounts (SHA) and its related set of International Classification for the Health Accounts are applied.
For Health Employment, the Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications apply.
Definitions of mandatory variables are laid down in Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/2294.
Where possible, the statistics are separated by sex (male/female), age group and NUTS2 region.
National deviations: see Annex at the bottom of the page.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Public health.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The healthcare non-expenditure statistics describe the public health sector from a non-monetary perspective. The statistics explain the number or rate of different healthcare resources, facilities and utilisations. A wide range of indicators are collected from a multitude of sources and therefore, details pertaining to individual variables are given in the Annex.
Definitions of mandatory variables are laid down in Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/2294.
Joint Questionnaire on Non-Monetary Health Care Statistics, which is carried by Eurostat, OECD and WHO-Europe.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
We are following the gudelines and laws concerning confidentialiy. Enclosed are link to website by the Ombudsmand under the Danish Parliament describing how to keep information confidential.
General policy: we publish a lot of data concerning the Danish health care system. We have a release calendar accessible for all. Data, which are not published, but presented to collaborators are delivered upon request - as long as the single Danish citizen are not recognisable in the data. Hence data delivered to EUROSTAT are not published in the release calendar.
Yearly by Eurostat. Data are not dessiminated in Denmark.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
We don't report data transmitted to the Eurostat. Danish data are visible at the Eurostat website "News articles".
We don't report data transmitted to the Eurostat. Danish data are shown at the OECD Health at a Glance report as well as Eurostat's Statistics Explained. Data can be downloaded as well from Eurostat's website.
In Denmark reporting of data on hospital and employees follow government notices. The government notice applies to both public and private administered hospitals and cannot deviate.
Data on i.e. inpatient, discharge, procedures has to be reported following these guidelines.
In Denmark the government notices on reporting ensure data quality.
We have a strict legislation with government notices on how hospitals, pharmacies and physicians from the primary sector etc. have to report data to national registries. Data from the hospital sector is transferred every night the National Health Data Authority, and we continuously check data. Every single day we send data back to the regions so they can correct errors. We use a password protected website.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Users of healthcare non-expenditure statistics are international organisations such as OECD, WHO and EU, and national policy makers and researchers.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Data on healthcare non-expenditure statistics are widely used by different authorities on a national as well as on regional level. We don't produce exactly the same data as data send to Eurostat, but relevant data on healthcare human resources, healthcare facilities, and healthcare utilisation is presented through our webpage sundhedsdatastyrelsen.dk and eSundhed.
The Danish Health Data Authority and the data presented is evaluated every year by The Ministry of the Interior and Health.
All the analysis sent to Eurostat are based on updated full national registries. Unfortunately not all Danish registries are updated to fulfill the requirements of the questionnaires. The following mandatory variables are missing for reference year 2023:
Overall the accuracy of the data used to answer the questionnaires are very accurate, as we have access to registers covering health and health staff in Denmark. We do have a few variables where data are based on estimates or have deviations.
Healthcare activities: it is difficult in Danish data to distinguish outpatients in hospitals and visits to nurses under doctors delegation can not be excluded. Furthermore we can't know for certain whether a patient has been admitted to the hospital or is treated as an outpatient if a stay is longer than 12 hours but less than 24 hours.
Physical resources: In Denmark beds used for rehabilitative and long-term care in HP1 hospitals cannot be separately identified.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
We report data from different Danish registries. Some of the registries are updated faster than others.
Data on pharmacist and caring personnel are based on the Danish Labour Register for Health Personnel. The register is updated with a 2½ year lag.
Data on other health professionals are based on Registered Health Professionals, the Danish Register for Evaluation of Marginalisation and The Danish Civil Registration System.
Data on heath activities and resources are updated with no time lag.
Immunisation is based on the Danish Vaccination Register.
Screening is based on data from The Danish Healthcare Quality Institute (DHQI).
14.2. Punctuality
Some of the Danish registers are updated with a lag. This is not due to delays.
Many of the registers are updated on daily basis and are updated back in time, hence analysis on data will differ over time.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The statistics are comparable between regions.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Data are comparable over time, even though we have breaks in the time series. Please see the annex for more information on breaks.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Some data on workforce is based on the Danish Labour Register for Health Personnel. The registry is located in Statistics. We have full access, and there is no incoherence in the data.
Some data on physical resources i.e. immunisation, screening and medical technology are collected with the assistance of other institutions.
15.4. Coherence - internal
All data reported are consistent.
We have an estimated cost of 250 working hours.
17.1. Data revision - policy
We don't have a policy, since we don't disseminate data submitted to EUROSTAT.
Data will however be revised according to Eurostat's revision policy.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Data are revised using Eurostat's questions as a guide.
18.1. Source data
Data regarding people active in the healthcare sector (except pharmacists and caring personnel) derives from Registered Health Professionals, the Danish Register for Evaluation of Marginalisation and The Danish Civil Registration System. Pharmacists and caring personnel derives from the Labour Register for Health Personnel. The Labour Register for Health Personnel has information on education, employment status, job position etc.
Graduates derives from Educational Statistic, STIL (see URL below)
Data on available healthcare technical resources and facilities (hospital beds, beds in residential care facilities, medical technology, etc.) are based on administrative data from the five Danish regions, who are responsible for delivery of primary and hospital-based care.
Data on health activities or patient contacts undertaken (hospital discharges, surgical procedures, ambulatory care data, etc.) comes from the Danish National Patient Registry (DNPR, link to article in the annexes). The registry is an population-based administrative registry, which has collected data from all Danish hospitals since 1977 with complete nationwide coverage since 1978. Aims of the DNRP are:
Form the basis of the Danish Health and Medicines Authority's hospital statistics,
Form the basis of health economics calculations,
Provide the Danish authorities with data to support hospital planning,
Provide data to support the authorities responsible for hospital inspection,
Monitor the frequency of various diseases and treatments,
Provide a sampling frame for longitudinal population-based and clinical research,
Facilitate quality assurance of Danish health care services,
Provide hospital physicians with access to patient’s hospitalization histories.
Data on immunisation derives from Statens Serum Institute.
Statistics on healthcare non-expenditure provide information on healthcare human resources, healthcare facilities, and healthcare utilisation.
The people active in the healthcare sector (doctors, dentists, nurses, etc.) and their status (graduates, practising, migration of doctors and nurses, etc.)
The available healthcare technical resources and facilities (hospital beds, beds in residential care facilities, medical technology, etc.)
The health activities or patient contacts undertaken (hospital discharges, surgical procedures, ambulatory care data, etc.).
Annual national and regional data are provided in absolute numbers or as a rate of a relevant population. Data are based mainly on administrative records (see section 18.1 ‘Source data’ for more information)
1 May 2025
The healthcare non-expenditure statistics describe the public health sector from a non-monetary perspective. The statistics explain the number or rate of different healthcare resources, facilities and utilisations. A wide range of indicators are collected from a multitude of sources and therefore, details pertaining to individual variables are given in the Annex.
Definitions of mandatory variables are laid down in Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/2294.
National changes of statistical concepts and national definitions deviating from Regulation (EU) 2022/2294: see Annex at the bottom of the page.
Registered health professionals or health care facility categories.
All health care staff.
All available beds or equipment in hospitals or in nursing.
All discharges or procedures performed in all hospitals.
Complete national territory - except Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
Calendar year.
Overall the accuracy of the data used to answer the questionnaires are very accurate, as we have access to registers covering health and health staff in Denmark. We do have a few variables where data are based on estimates or have deviations.
Healthcare activities: it is difficult in Danish data to distinguish outpatients in hospitals and visits to nurses under doctors delegation can not be excluded. Furthermore we can't know for certain whether a patient has been admitted to the hospital or is treated as an outpatient if a stay is longer than 12 hours but less than 24 hours.
Physical resources: In Denmark beds used for rehabilitative and long-term care in HP1 hospitals cannot be separately identified.
Absolute numbers at the end of the period.
All analysis have been done in SAS - all SAS programmes have been well documented.
Data regarding people active in the healthcare sector (except pharmacists and caring personnel) derives from Registered Health Professionals, the Danish Register for Evaluation of Marginalisation and The Danish Civil Registration System. Pharmacists and caring personnel derives from the Labour Register for Health Personnel. The Labour Register for Health Personnel has information on education, employment status, job position etc.
Graduates derives from Educational Statistic, STIL (see URL below)
Data on available healthcare technical resources and facilities (hospital beds, beds in residential care facilities, medical technology, etc.) are based on administrative data from the five Danish regions, who are responsible for delivery of primary and hospital-based care.
Data on health activities or patient contacts undertaken (hospital discharges, surgical procedures, ambulatory care data, etc.) comes from the Danish National Patient Registry (DNPR, link to article in the annexes). The registry is an population-based administrative registry, which has collected data from all Danish hospitals since 1977 with complete nationwide coverage since 1978. Aims of the DNRP are:
Form the basis of the Danish Health and Medicines Authority's hospital statistics,
Form the basis of health economics calculations,
Provide the Danish authorities with data to support hospital planning,
Provide data to support the authorities responsible for hospital inspection,
Monitor the frequency of various diseases and treatments,
Provide a sampling frame for longitudinal population-based and clinical research,
Facilitate quality assurance of Danish health care services,
Provide hospital physicians with access to patient’s hospitalization histories.
Data on immunisation derives from Statens Serum Institute.
Yearly by Eurostat. Data are not dessiminated in Denmark.
We report data from different Danish registries. Some of the registries are updated faster than others.
Data on pharmacist and caring personnel are based on the Danish Labour Register for Health Personnel. The register is updated with a 2½ year lag.
Data on other health professionals are based on Registered Health Professionals, the Danish Register for Evaluation of Marginalisation and The Danish Civil Registration System.
Data on heath activities and resources are updated with no time lag.
Immunisation is based on the Danish Vaccination Register.
Screening is based on data from The Danish Healthcare Quality Institute (DHQI).
The statistics are comparable between regions.
Data are comparable over time, even though we have breaks in the time series. Please see the annex for more information on breaks.
