Adoption of information technology in primary care physician offices in New Zealand and Denmark, part 1: healthcare system comparisons.

Denmark and New Zealand are two small countries whose primary care physicians are at the forefront of the use of electronic medical records (EMRs). This is the first of a series of five papers which contrasts the health care systems in Denmark and New Zealand. Though the delivery of care at the patient level is virtually the same in New Zealand and Denmark the way in which the health care is financed, administered and managed does vary. This paper highlights the differences, particularly in terms of the approaches taken to primary care and out-of-office-hours services.