The Danish National Database on Assistive Technology

摘要

Objective To present the Danish National Database on Assistive Technology (The Danish AT Database) and its impact in the context of the Assistive Technology service delivery system in Denmark. Main content Grants for assistive technology products are provided by the public authorities under the Social Services Act, the Health Act, the Education Act and others. Under the terms of the Social Services Act, the municipalities provide grants for assistive technology products and consumer goods for persons with long-term mental or physical disability, if the assistive technology product or consumer good can relieve the long-term effects of the disability to a great extent, facilitate day-to-day home life to a great extent, or is necessary to allow the person in question to carry out a job. Besides providing grants for assistive technology the municipality shall ensure the availability of free advice for persons with physical or mental disabilities, which implies advice on choosing assistive devices as well as directions for their use. In Denmark there is no complete list of the assistive technology or consumer goods that can be provided by grants, but information on most products being provided are found in the Danish AT Database. The Danish AT Database is designed to provide information on assistive technology products and associated information for end-users and their relatives, case-managers, health-care professionals, manufacturers, suppliers, policy makers and researchers. The database provides detailed information about a vast number of assistive technology products available from Danish suppliers, contact information on suppliers and manufacturers, news, literature references, links to other information systems in the field of assistive technology, a forum for user-to-user information and debate, and references to principal rulings in relation to appeals about the allocation of assistive devices or home adaptations in accordance with the Social Services Act. The product information in the database is updated online by Danish suppliers and validated by an editorial team at the Danish Centre for Assistive Technology. Results The Danish AT Database currently includes information on about 20.000 product series, 900 suppliers, 300 literature references and 150 principal rulings. At www.hmi-basen.dk the Database has about 50.000-60.000 visits every month and besides data from the database is used in data management systems in nearly all municipalities, hospitals and institutions running an assistive technology warehouse. Conclusion The Danish AT Database plays a key role in the provision process of assistive technology in Denmark primarily for professionals, end-users and their relatives, suppliers and manufactures.