Danish pension provider PFA has reduced the risk of long-term illness by 70 per cent for customers receiving early intervention through an AI-powered prevention tool that helps healthcare professionals spot those at risk.

The technology, combined with new digital solutions, is enabling faster access to treatments such as physiotherapy and psychological support.

In recent years, PFA has made “significant” investments in prevention and health to address a critical challenge that costs pension funds and providers substantial resources.

PFA CEO, Ole Krogh Petersen, highlighted the significant impact of long-term illness on individuals and workplaces.

“The consequences for the individual who is affected by long-term illness are great, and we know that the longer it takes before you get back to work, the more difficult it becomes,” he said.

“That is why it is so crucial that we intervene with early and targeted help to break the sometimes vicious spiral that you easily get into.”

The data also showed the proportion of customers on long-term sick leave for more than two years has fallen by 8.5 per cent in the past two years, despite an overall increase in illness among Danes during this period.

This reduction is directly attributed to PFA’s early intervention strategies.

With nearly 600,000 customers insured against loss of earning capacity, PFA has assisted approximately 92,000 people with treatment during the first six months of 2025, marking a 23 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

The company has also improved its success rate, helping 49.4 per cent of long-term sick leave customers return to the labour market within two years, up from 42.7 per cent two years ago.

"Breaking the trend of long-term illness is a long, tough haul, but we can see that the efforts with early intervention are starting to bear fruit, and that long-term ill PFA customers are recovering faster than before," Petersen said.

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