Hospitals move more treatment into patients’ homes
Sunday 8th November 2026 on 07:15 in
Denmark
More patients are receiving hospital treatment at home, including chemotherapy and intravenous antibiotics, DR reports, citing data gathered from Denmark’s regions.
“We have really begun moving large groups of patients out of physical hospitals and into home treatment,” said Kristian Kidholm, a professor of innovation at the University of Southern Denmark and Odense University Hospital.
Odense University Hospital has more than 200 initiatives under way to bring treatment closer to patients’ homes. Hospitals in the country’s other regions are also increasingly providing care outside their facilities.
Home treatment does not currently save money, Kidholm said. Budgets, staffing levels and the time spent on care are roughly the same, though he said the hope is that time can be saved as patients and staff become more accustomed to the approach.
Holbæk Hospital opened a department for home admissions last year, the first of its kind. It has recently treated its 100th patient: Annette Jensen, from Asnæs, who is receiving care at home for an elevated infection marker.
Jensen receives penicillin through an intravenous drip, supplied by a pump in a belt bag. A nurse refills the medicine at her home each day. The treatment would usually require a hospital stay of one or two weeks.
“I can actually do what I want. I can go out, visit family and cook. It is a great deal of freedom,” Jensen said. She said she feels safe receiving treatment at home because she has a phone number to call if something seems wrong or she has questions.
Danske Patienter, an organisation representing patients, supports the move towards home treatment but says the decision must be made with the patient. Its political director, Johanne Kure, said not everyone wants to be treated at home and health services should not decide on a patient’s behalf.
Home treatment may be particularly beneficial for people with chronic illnesses, Kure said, potentially improving quality of life and helping them manage their conditions while living a more normal life.