The use of health data is a key element in the Danish healthcare system, making Denmark a world leader with a unique infrastructure for linking data across registers and databases. Improved use of health data can enhance care coherence, improve disease diagnosis, support innovative research, and increase healthcare quality and geographic equity. This will ultimately lead to better treatment for each individual patient and help strengthen the healthcare system.

The National Patient Register is the largest collection of healthcare data in Denmark with comprehensive information about all medical examinations and treatments in Danish hospitals over the last 40 years. This extensive data source makes it possible to study the disease development and treatment outcomes over time. The Danish health data is also highly representative with no significant gaps related to factors such as gender, age, or geography. This is due to the inclusive nature of data collection, which covers all patients from birth to death, across all hospitals and medical clinics in the country.

The Danish Health Data Authority is responsible for managing the national health registers and providing access to the data for researchers. They regularly publish reports and analyses based on the data in the registers. Researchers can access the data through a secure research platform called "Forskermaskinen," which allows remote online access to the data in a secure environment. This provides valuable opportunities for researchers to conduct studies and develop new solutions based on the health data.

The Danish regulations on healthcare data ensure that it can be used for research projects or clinical trials, provided they meet the basic requirements of general societal importance. The data is handled and used in a lawful, secure, and safe manner, while also respecting the individual’s right to privacy.