Regions urged to enhance access to fertility treatments for Danes through local hospital collaboration

To enhance access to public fertility treatments for all Danes, regions should delegate some services to local hospitals. Søren Ziebe, a senior researcher at the Fertility Department of Rigshospitalet, advocates for collaboration between fertility clinics and gynecological departments in other hospitals. He highlights that the current distribution of public fertility clinics in Denmark is uneven, with four out of nine located in the capital region, forcing individuals from areas like Southern Jutland, western Jutland, Djursland, and Lolland to travel for hours for treatment.

Rigshospitalet has successfully collaborated with Nordsjællands Hospital in Hillerød for non-specialized components of fertility treatments, and Ziebe calls for this model to be expanded to other facilities. Local politician Didde Lauritzen, chair of the health committee in Sønderborg, supports this initiative, suggesting that some preparatory procedures could be conducted locally to improve accessibility for patients.

Karin Friis Bach, chair of the health committee at Danske Regioner, acknowledges the issue of distance and is willing to explore moving certain tasks, like scans, to local hospitals to alleviate patient burdens. Health Minister Sophie Løhde is also open to making changes to reduce travel times for patients undergoing fertility treatment, indicating that elements of the treatment process might be conducted in gynecological departments to ease the burden on individuals.

However, Løhde emphasizes that it will not be possible for all Danes to have equal access to fertility clinics due to the specialized nature of the treatment, which requires specific expertise and equipment.