Denmark’s regional governments are proposing a major change to healthcare access, advocating for patients to receive subsidized physiotherapy in Denmark without needing a doctor’s referral, with aims to ease pressure on general practitioners and strengthen local health services.
Proposal for Easier Access to Physiotherapy
Denmark’s regional authorities, represented by Danske Regioner (Danish Regions), are calling for a significant reform to the way citizens access physiotherapy services. Currently, more than 400,000 Danes receive financial subsidies for physiotherapy treatments each year. However, to receive this support, patients must first obtain a referral from their general practitioner. The current process makes it harder to get help with physiotherapy in Denmark.
Danish Regions argues that this extra step is unnecessary and causes delays in treatment. The organization is urging the national government to allow direct access to general physiotherapy services with public subsidies—eliminating the need for a doctor’s referral altogether. The proposal could benefit patients while helping optimize the healthcare system by allocating tasks more efficiently among professionals. The goal is to make the system smoother and help people faster.
Streamlining Healthcare Delivery
The call for reform comes at a time when Denmark is implementing broader healthcare changes, including a nationwide health reform designed to improve care access, reduce waiting times, and better distribute healthcare responsibilities. Danish Regions sees the current reform discussions as a timely opportunity to reassign certain responsibilities—like initial assessments for physiotherapy treatment—to allied health professionals.
According to Danish Regions, enabling patients to go directly to physiotherapists not only simplifies care for individuals but also helps free up time for general practitioners, who are already under heavy workload pressure. The move is seen as part of a broader push to make the Danish healthcare system more efficient and user-friendly.
Reinforcing Local Health Services
The plan also supports Denmark’s long-term goal of reinforcing its “nære sundhedsvæsen,” or local healthcare system. Under this approach, more treatments and patient interactions are to take place close to where people live, particularly outside of hospitals. Danish Regions believe that giving patients direct access to physiotherapy in Denmark embeds healthcare better in local communities and respects patients’ time and autonomy.
The proposal builds on the idea that physiotherapists are well-qualified to evaluate and treat a wide range of musculoskeletal issues without requiring physician oversight. This would make treatment more responsive and personalized while also reducing bottlenecks in the general practice system.
Pilot Program Shows Early Results
Central to the regional government’s advocacy is a pilot project currently underway in the Zealand Region. Since March 2025, residents with musculoskeletal conditions have been permitted to access physiotherapy in Denmark with subsidies—without prior approval from a doctor. The goal of the program is to gather data on patient satisfaction, healthcare outcomes, cost efficiency, and impacts on the workloads of other healthcare professionals.
The outcomes of the pilot project will be crucial in determining if and how the program can be extended nationwide. Any broader rollout would require changes to existing regulatory frameworks, including the amendment of national guidelines and renegotiation of the current agreement between Danske Regioner and the Danish Physiotherapists’ Association.
Next Steps Towards Implementation
Before full implementation, the Danish Ministry of Health must approve regulatory changes that would remove the mandatory referral requirement and officially expand physiotherapists’ scope of practice. In addition, adjustments to the existing tariffs and insurance structures will be necessary to ensure consistency in compensation for practitioners across the public healthcare system.
Furthermore, professional training and quality assurance measures will be developed to support physiotherapists in evaluating patients without physician involvement, making sure that care remains safe and effective across the board.
Broader Healthcare Reforms on the Horizon
This proposed change is just one part of Denmark’s ongoing efforts to modernize its healthcare system. Other initiatives include enhancing primary care access in underserved regions and reducing dependence on temporary psychiatric specialists by promoting full-time hiring. In 2026 alone, Denmark aims to phase out long-term psychiatric temp positions and invest over 20 million DKK in improving regional doctor coverage.
Denmark’s healthcare reforms aim not only to optimize existing processes but also to respond more flexibly to the varying needs of patients across urban and rural areas. By evolving the roles of healthcare professionals and enhancing access to services like physiotherapy in Denmark, the country seeks to build a more resilient and patient-focused system.
