The Danish healthcare newspaper Dagens Medicin has awarded Aarhus University Hospital (AUH) the title of Denmark’s best hospital.

10.12.2015 | Christina Lund Højfeldt

The Danish healthcare newspaper Dagens Medicin has awarded Aarhus University Hospital (AUH) the title of Denmark’s best hospital. Photo: Kristian Bang

2015 has been a challenging year for Aarhus University Hospital. A tough cost reduction plan in the region and the gigantic hospital construction project in Skejby has been a challenge for the day-to-day running of the hospital. But despite these obstacles, Aarhus University Hospital was named Denmark's best hospital. The Danish healthcare newspaper Dagens Medicine makes the award annually.

It is the eighth year running that Aarhus University Hospital is able to call itself the best hospital in Denmark. The hospital has won in the university hospitals category, which comprises the biggest hospitals in Denmark. In this category, Aarhus University Hospital took first place, while Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen was number two, Aalborg University Hospital number three and Odense University Hospital number four.

Aarhus University Hospital achieved nine first places among the 64 treatments that where assessed in the competition. The hospital also managed a whole series of second and third places.

Dagens Medicin has analysed all available national data on the quality of treatment provided by hospitals in Denmark. The award also includes data from the National Danish Survey of Patient Experiences (LUP) as well as an analysis of each hospital’s reputation, in which more than 2,500 doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals have assessed the hospitals they were familiar with.

But the decisive factor in deciding the best hospital in Denmark’s is the quality of treatment, which accounts for eighty per cent of the total, while patient satisfaction and reputation each account for ten per cent.

Dean of the Faculty of Health at Aarhus University, Allan Flyvbjerg, is pleased to see AUH receive the award.

"I am happy and proud on behalf of the patients. This is really impressive. Despite having fewer beds, implementing savings and reorganising in connection with the huge hospital construction project, we are still able to stay in first place," says Allan Flyvbjerg.

"At the same time, the award is also recognises all the employees at the university hospital as well as the university. Their efforts are crucial. Because of them we can say we have the best treatment of a wide range of diseases," ends Allan Flyvbjerg.

Best in nine areas of treatment

Aarhus University Hospital was awarded first place within the following nine areas of treatment:

• Geriatrics (medical treatment of elderly people)
• Cancer in the brain
• Uterine cancer
• PCI treatment (percutaneous coronary intervention, commonly known as coronary angloplasty)
• Three areas of cardiothoracic and vascular surgery: Combined bypass and heart valve treatment, vascular surgery and lung cancer surgery
• Lymphomas (cancer of the lymph nodes)
• Myelodysplastic syndrome (a group of disorders in the bone marrow that can develop into cancer in the blood)

Very close competition

This year's competition to be Denmark's best hospital was very close. Aarhus University Hospital’s win is first and foremost due to an ability to maintain a constant high level in all areas of treatment. This is something that pleases Gert Sørensen, who is chief executive officer at Aarhus University Hospital.

"There aren’t any areas where we fail to deliver. If we were talking about a football team, people would say we have got a strong, broad and homogeneous squad, and that we are strong in all positions," says Gert Sørensen.

He points out that honour does not only go to those areas of treatment what were awarded a first place. The hospital’s support functions are equally important.

"We should also remember all the others. If the operating theatres aren’t clean and sterile, if the patient isn’t in the right place at the right time, or if the correct operation equipment isn’t ready, then we cannot succeed," he concludes.

Further information

Dean Allan Flyvbjerg
Aarhus University, Health
Direct tel.: (+45) 5177 9548
dean.health@au.dk

Chief Executive Officer Gert Sørensen
Aarhus University Hospital
Direct tel.: (+45) 7846 2331
gertsoer@rm.dk