Copenhagen Introduces Dedicated Doctor Scheme in Home Care

The City of Copenhagen is expanding its dedicated doctor scheme to include elderly residents living at home who receive municipal home care or nursing services. The pilot project, set to launch in early 2026, aims to provide more coherent treatment and care for citizens with complex medical conditions.

The model with dedicated doctors is already known from Copenhagen’s nursing homes, where since 2018 it has contributed to greater continuity and close collaboration between doctors and care staff. These experiences form the basis for the new initiative, now being tested in home care.

– The dedicated doctor has provided greater security and better treatment for many elderly residents in our nursing homes. Now it’s time to offer the same opportunity to home-dwelling Copenhageners who receive home or nursing care, says Health and Care Mayor Sisse Marie Welling (SF).

Nearly 12,500 citizens received nursing care in Copenhagen’s home care system last year, with around 3,000 of them requiring long-term support due to chronic or multiple illnesses. This group is expected to benefit most from the new initiative.

The project aims to improve coordination between doctors and the municipality’s interdisciplinary teams to ensure more coherent and preventative care pathways. This could help prevent unnecessary hospital admissions, which can be especially burdensome for frail elderly individuals.

The scheme is being developed in collaboration with the Organisation of General Practitioners (PLO), which supports the initiative.

– A dedicated doctor creates continuity and reassurance for both citizens and staff. For elderly people with complex health conditions, it can mean fewer unnecessary hospital admissions, says Anna Bergljot Madsen, chair of PLO-Copenhagen.

The pilot project will be implemented and gradually scaled up over four years. A budget of one million kroner per year has been allocated from 2026 to 2029, with a mid-term evaluation planned for 2028.

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