Aarhus Municipality and Central Denmark Region launch innovative health data sharing system 

Aarhus becomes the first Danish municipality to provide real-time care record access to a hospital, boosting patient safety and streamlining workflows.  

Seamless patient care across the Danish healthcare system faces daily challenges as staff struggle to access vital health information when patients move between hospitals, municipalities, and GPs. The Danish health reform has identified improved data sharing and digitalisation as essential steps forward. Rising to this challenge, Aarhus Municipality and Central Denmark Region have become the first in Denmark to pilot Columna Axon, an innovative solution that gives regional healthcare staff direct access to municipal care data. The solution is developed by Systematic. 

Christian Budde, Councillor for Health and Care in Aarhus Municipality, sees significant benefits in the new pilot project: 

"This solution represents a decisive step towards a more cohesive healthcare system. When hospitals gain direct access to municipal care records, they can quickly determine appropriate treatment paths, which both enhances patient safety and frees up valuable time for healthcare staff across both settings," says Christian Budde. 

Faster, better patient care 

Healthcare staff currently spend considerable time making phone calls between municipalities and regions to gather essential information. In many cases, patients themselves become responsible for explaining their medical situation - particularly challenging for those who are acutely ill, managing chronic conditions, or suffering from dementia and unable to reliably communicate their treatment history. 

"In emergency departments, quickly understanding a patient's situation and recent medication is crucial. This often leads to time-consuming calls to municipal home care services. With real-time access to municipal records, hospital staff can now respond more quickly and ensure more coordinated care for patients," explains Anders Kühnau, Chairman of the Regional Council in Central Denmark Region. 

Aarhus Municipality has now activated the new municipal version of Columna Axon, with implementation as a pilot project beginning on 31 March 2025. The project runs until September, during which selected departments at Aarhus University Hospital will gain real-time access to data from Aarhus Municipality's care records. Insights gained from this pilot will inform any necessary adjustments before permanent implementation. 

Promising results from earlier implementation 

This marks the first time a Danish region has gained direct real-time access to municipal care records. However, in 2023, Herning Municipality and Central Denmark Region began using Columna Axon in the reverse direction, giving municipal employees insight into regional patient data. 

The results were remarkable: Phone calls from municipal healthcare staff to hospitals decreased by 30-50%, and necessary calls became more focused. Municipal staff reported significant improvements in their daily work, and Central Denmark Region estimates that broader implementation could free up substantial working hours - time that can be redirected to patient care.  

Based on these positive outcomes, Axon is now being rolled out to all municipalities in the region. In Aarhus Municipality, health data sharing between municipal and regional systems will soon flow in both directions. 

Addressing a critical need in society 

Several other municipalities have already expressed interest in Axon. Nikolaj Bramsen, CEO at Systematic, is pleased that the company can contribute a solution to such a pressing societal need: 

"It's exciting to deliver a solution that addresses a significant challenge in our healthcare system. When municipalities and regions share data in real time, we create more coordinated care and significantly improve patient safety. It's about freeing up time for core responsibilities and ensuring that vital information is always available where it's needed."