Patient referrals from Greenland to Rigshospitalet in Denmark

A long-standing collaboration exists between the Greenlandic healthcare system and Rigshospitalet, Denmark’s largest tertiary national university hospital for diagnostics and treatment of Greenlandic citizens [1]. Estimates suggest a required population size of 200,000-250,000 inhabitants to maintain tertiary-level expertise across all specialties, and overseas transfer is therefore needed for the Greenlandic population of 56,421 inhabitants [2, 3].

Queen Ingrid’s Hospital in Nuuk is the main national hospital and comprises departments of surgery, intensive care, internal medicine and psychiatry, counting a total of 108 beds and an additional 70 patient hotel beds. Queen Ingrid’s Hospital has capacity to perform a wide range of blood and microbiology tests and imaging (ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)). Selected advanced samples are conducted and/or interpreted in Denmark. The collaboration includes both patient transfers from specialties that are not covered in Greenland and patients from specialties that are present in Greenland, but which require more specialised care. The collaboration also includes 24-hour telemedical support (e.g., common in ophthalmology), systematic telemedical conferences, Danish physicians travelling to Queen Ingrid’s Hospital in Nuuk (e.g., haematologic, paediatric or cardiac device controls on established recurrent arrangements) and educational activities. Waiting time for procedures, follow-up or available transport back to Greenland may be spent at the Greenlandic Patient Home in Copenhagen (72 beds).