Leaflet about Friklinikken (English)

Welcome to Friklinikken, Region Syddanmark. You have received this leaflet because you are going to be examined or treated at our clinic. Here you can read about who we are, what we offer, how to prepare for your visit, and how to contact us. If you have any questions after reading the leaflet, you are always welcome to contact us. Most of our written information is in Danish, so please tell us if you need information in English, and we will do our best to help you.

Who are we?

Friklinikken is an independent public clinic under Region Syddanmark (the Region of Southern Denmark) and part of the Danish public health service. The clinic started in 2002 at Brædstrup Hospital and opened a department at Give Hospital in 2006. Since 2011 the clinic has been called Friklinikken, Region Syddanmark. Since then it has been expanded with, among other things, a Pain Clinic, a Diagnostic Centre with outpatient clinics for neurology and rheumatology, and an outpatient clinic for heart diseases. Examinations and treatments are provided on the same terms as at other public hospitals in Denmark and are free of charge for you.

What do we offer?

We specialise in minor and medium-sized planned operations within orthopaedic surgery, general surgery, urology, spinal surgery, plastic surgery and treatment of varicose veins. We have a multidisciplinary pain clinic for patients with long-term pain, and in our outpatient clinics we examine and treat patients with diseases of the nervous system, rheumatic diseases and heart diseases. You can read more about our treatments, in Danish, under Vi tilbyder.

Who can be treated here?

You can be treated at Friklinikken regardless of where in Denmark you live. We receive patients from all over the country according to the Danish rules on free choice of hospital. To be examined or treated at the clinic, you must be referred, usually by your own general practitioner. Our waiting times are short, and we plan your course of treatment so that it is quick and efficient.

Your appointment

When we have received your referral, you will receive a letter with the time and place of your appointment. The letter also tells you how to prepare and whether you need to fill in a questionnaire. Letters from Danish public authorities are sent to your Digital Post mailbox if you have one. If the appointment is not convenient for you, please call us as soon as possible to get a new appointment, so that the time can be used by another patient.

How to prepare

• Read your appointment letter and the leaflets you have received carefully.
• Bring a list of all the medicine you take, including herbal medicine and dietary supplements.
• If you are having an operation, follow the instructions on fasting and medicine you have received.
• If you smoke, stop well before an operation. This reduces the risk of complications.
• If you are having an operation under anaesthesia, arrange transport home and make sure that an adult can stay with you for the first 24 hours.
• Bring your health insurance card (sundhedskort) and, if you need it, a relative or friend who can help with translation.

When you arrive

Please report to the reception or to the department stated in your appointment letter. If you are having an operation, you will talk to the surgeon and the anaesthetist before the operation. Most operations are performed as day surgery, so you can go home the same day, but it is also possible to stay overnight if necessary. When you go home, you will receive information about what to be aware of and whether you need a follow-up appointment.

Transport

As a general rule, you must arrange and pay for your own transport to and from the clinic. There are some exceptions. You can read more on the website of Region Syddanmark or under Transport til og fra sygehuset.

Your rights as a patient

As a patient you have a number of rights, including the right to information about your treatment, the right to accept or refuse treatment and the right to see your medical records. If you do not speak Danish or English well enough to talk to the staff, please tell us when you book or change your appointment, so that we can discuss how to arrange an interpreter. If you have questions about your rights, you can contact the patient counsellor (Patientvejleder) in your region.

Hygiene

Good hygiene is important to prevent infections. Please wash or disinfect your hands when you arrive. If you have recently been admitted to a hospital abroad, have worked with pigs or have previously had MRSA, please tell the staff before you come, as you may need to be tested before your treatment.

Relatives

Your relatives are welcome to accompany you and can wait while you are being examined or operated on. If you are having an operation, it is a good idea for a relative to be present when you receive information about what to be aware of at home. You decide what information the staff may give to your relatives.

Contact

You will find our telephone number and opening hours in your appointment letter and under Kontakt os. You can also send us a secure e-mail through your Digital Post mailbox. We look forward to seeing you.