Interpreter Assistance

An interpreter will be made available if this is necessary for your treatment.

Some patients need an interpreter for their treatment at hospital, from their general practitioner, or from a specialist.

Healthcare staff are responsible for making sure that their patients understand the information, and therefore they will assess whether there is a need for an interpreter in connection with treatment.

Payment for an interpreter in connection with treatment

Patients resident in Denmark (i.e. with a CPR civil registration number) for a total of more than three years will be charged a fee for interpreter assistance when they need such assistance their treatment.

Some patients will not be charged for interpreting services. These are:

patients who, because of reduced physical or functional ability temporarily or permanently lose their ability to learn Danish language skills, or maintain and use already learned Danish language skills.
children who turn up for treatment without their parents.
parents who need interpreter assistance in connection with treatment of a child.
people from the German minority in Denmark who need interpreter assistance with the German language.
patients from Greenland and the Faeroe Islands.

If you have a medical certificate stating that you are unable to learn or use your Danish skills, you must send it us using Digital post

If you paid for the certificate the Capital Region will refund your expenses. if you send the relevant documentation proving the payment, the amount will be send to your NemKonto.

The fee will be charged for:

each hospital admission,
each outpatients consultation at hospital,
each consultation at a general practitioner and practising medical specialist.

Rates:

Video/tele interpretation for an outpatient consultation at hospital, consultation at a general practitioner and practising medical specialist: DKK 191.
Interpretation in person for an outpatient consultation at hospital, consultation at a general practitioner and practising medical specialist: DKK 334.
Video/tele interpretation for a hospital admission: DKK 957.
Interpretation in person for a hospital admission: DKK 1,675.

If you decide not to have an interpreter who has been assigned by the Region and you bring your own interpreter, you will have to pay the full cost of the interpreter. This applies irrespective of how long you have been a resident in Denmark and irrespective of whether you would otherwise be entitled to free interpreter assistance or you would have to pay a fee.