Leading the way in digital diabetes care

About Steno Diabetes Center North Denmark

In late 2017, the North Denmark Regional Council and the Board of Directors of the Novo Nordisk Foundation approved the project plan for Steno Diabetes Center North Denmark, which was established on 1 January 2018.

The vision for Steno Diabetes Center North Denmark is that it will improve the longevity and quality of life of everyone with diabetes and create coherent treatment near people’s homes and halt the growth of people developing diabetes.

Steno Diabetes Center North Denmark will be established in a new building that will be constructed near the new Aalborg University Hospital. In collaboration with North Denmark Regional Hospital, general practitioners and municipalities, the centre will improve the quality of the diabetes initiatives.

About 5000–5500 people with diabetes are expected to be treated annually at the centre, but the ambition is that all the approximately 35,000 people with diabetes in the Region will notice an improvement in the quality of diabetes treatment.

Steno Diabetes Center North Denmark will have five core activities: patient-centred and evidence-based treatment of diabetes and prevention of late complications; clinical research; developing competencies and education and training; intersectoral collaboration in preventing diabetes; and early detection and treatment of diabetes. The fifth core activity will be a key focus area of the centre. This will involve developing, testing, documenting and disseminating digital health solutions related to diabetes.

“The ambition in establishing Steno Diabetes Center North Denmark is to improve the treatment of everyone with diabetes in the Region.” Sten Scheibye, Chairman of the Board, Novo Nordisk Foundation

The quality, proximity, equality and coherence of diabetes initiatives will be in focus. Regardless of where people with diabetes are treated in the Region, the focus will be on ensuring that they receive uniform high-quality treatment. This will be supported by close collaboration between the centre and North Denmark Regional Hospital and through intersectoral collaboration with the municipalities and general practitioners. Digital health solutions, including telemedicine, will also provide support.

On 7 December 2017, the Foundation’s Board approved a grant of DKK 795 million to the North Denmark Region for establishing and operating Steno Diabetes Center North Denmark after the Regional Council approved a detailed plan for the centre on 28 November 2017.

“The Foundation wants to contribute to Denmark offering the world’s best research-based treatment for diabetes. The ambition of the grant for establishing Steno Diabetes Center North Denmark is to improve treatment for everyone with diabetes in the Region. The goal is that people with diabetes achieve a longer and higher-quality life and that fewer Danes have diabetes,” says Sten Scheibye, Chairman of the Board, Novo Nordisk Foundation.

The grant from the Foundation began in 2018 and will last until 2027, with a possible extension thereafter. The Foundation will fund the operating costs of the supplementary treatment of people with diabetes, clinical research, intersectoral collaboration and the development of competencies. In addition, the Foundation will also fund the construction and equipping of the new building.

Steno Diabetes Center North Denmark is operating from facilities at Aalborg University Hospital until the centre’s new building is ready for use, expected in 2022.

Read more about the centre at the North Denmark Region website (in Danish)