The regular general practitioner (GP) is the patient’s most important and usually first point of contact with the health services. Everyone who wishes to do so is entitled to a designated regular GP.

The regular GP’s responsibilities 

During daytime hours, the regular GP is responsible for providing necessary general practitioner services to persons on their list. This also includes urgent medical care.

The regular GP plays a key role in coordinating the patient’s need for medical services and collaborates with the municipality’s other health and care services, the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV), and the specialist health service.

The regular GP plays a central role as a gatekeeper to other health and welfare schemes, for example through referrals to the specialist health service, laboratory tests and imaging investigations, prescribing medicines, and serving as an expert assessor for sick leave certificates.

Other duties 

In addition, regular GPs often carry out other general medical duties within the municipalities, such as health clinics and school health services, nursing homes, municipal emergency 24-hour care units (kommunal akutt døgnenhet – KAD), prison health services, and participation in the out-of-hours medical service (legevakt).

Depending on the patient's treatment or assistance needs, the regular GP may issue a referral for necessary healthcare. A patient requiring assessment and/or treatment in the specialist health service for a medical condition may be referred to a specialist. These may include contracted private specialists, visiting specialists at a district medical centre (distriktsmedisinsk senter – DMS) or a decentralised outpatient clinic, or specialists at hospital outpatient clinics.

In the event of acute illness or injury, or a need for urgent care arising in the evening or at night that cannot wait until the following day, members of the public should contact the out-of-hours medical service (legevakt). In the event of a medical emergency, call 113, while the national out-of-hours medical number is 116 117.

District medical centres 

At a district medical centre (distriktsmedisinsk senter – DMS), specialist health services and municipal health and care services are co-located.

Facilities may include regular GPs, physiotherapists, joint emergency admissions, community maternity units, medical specialists, dialysis provision, and other services.

District psychiatric centres 

A patient with a mental illness may be referred for outpatient treatment or admission within the mental healthcare services, such as to a district psychiatric centre (distriktspsykiatrisk senter – DPS). These centres provide specialised mental healthcare services.

Patients who require more specialised treatment may be referred to a hospital. Patients with substance use disorders may be referred for outpatient treatment or inpatient admission at a specialist addiction treatment institution.

Hospitals 

For conditions (both psychiatric and somatic) that require inpatient admission, the patient is usually referred to a hospital, either public or private.

Patients may choose their hospital through the hospital choice scheme (helsenorge.no).

Patients may also choose to receive treatment at private hospitals that have entered into an agreement with the regional health authorities. Due to medical advances and specialisation, hospitals are becoming increasingly specialised, and tasks are frequently divided between hospitals.

The ambulance service 

The ambulance service is part of the specialist health service, and in many cases treatment commences in the ambulance en route to hospital.

In serious cases, where it is vital both to initiate treatment and to reach hospital rapidly, doctor-crewed helicopters (air ambulances) are used.

In the event of a medical emergency, call 113.

Rehabilitation and physical therapy 

Following a hospital stay, many patients require a period of rehabilitation and reconditioning. This may take place at a specialised rehabilitation institution or within the municipal service.

Some patients, particularly older persons, may need a period of convalescence following hospital treatment, which is offered in specially equipped, purpose-adapted units in nursing homes and local health centres (helsehus).

An older patient with a known medical condition who experiences an exacerbation that does not require hospital admission may benefit from a stay at a local community hospital (sykestue) or in municipal emergency 24-hour care units, which are specially equipped to receive these patients.

Primary healthcare and specialist health services 

Primary healthcare services are the responsibility of the municipality. Municipal health and care services include, among others, general practitioner services, health clinics and school health services, physiotherapy, rehabilitation, home nursing/home care services, and nursing homes.

Certain services are organised jointly by the municipality and the specialist health service, such as district medical centres, selected nursing home services, and hospice care provision.

The regional health authorities – the Northern Norway Regional Health Authority (Helse Nord RHF, helse-nord.no), the Central Norway Regional Health Authority (Helse Midt-Norge RHF, helse-midt.no), the Western Norway Regional Health Authority (Helse Vest RHF, helse-vest.no), and the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority (Helse Sør-Øst RHF, helse-sorost.no) – are responsible for providing specialist health services to the population in their respective health regions.

They also own the public hospitals in the region. Public hospitals are organised as health trusts (helseforetak), which are governed by the regional health authorities.