The general practitioner (GP) is a patient’s most important and usually first point of contact with the health services. Everyone who is registered in the National Population Register as living in Norway is entitled to a designated regular GP.

The GP’s responsibilities 

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

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

The GP is a "gatekeeper" to other health and welfare schemes, for example through referrals to the specialist health service, laboratory tests and imaging, prescribing medicines, and as an assessor for sick leave.

Other GP duties 

In addition, 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 out-of-hours medical service (legevakt).

Depending on a patient's treatment or assistance needs, the GP may issue a referral for necessary healthcare in other parts of the health service. A patient requiring assessment and/or treatment in the specialist health service may be referred to a specialist. This 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 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). The national out-of-hours medical number is 116 117. In the event of a medical emergency, call 113.

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 GPs, physiotherapists, joint emergency admissions, community maternity units, medical specialists, dialysis, and other services.

District psychiatric centres 

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

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 have the right to choose their place of treatment (helsenorge.no).

Patients may also choose to receive treatment at private hospitals that have an agreement with regional health authorities. Due to medical advances and specialisation, hospitals are increasingly specialised, and responsibilities are frequently shared between hospitals.

The ambulance service 

The ambulance service is part of the specialist health service. In many cases, treatment commences in the ambulance on the way to hospital.

In serious cases, where it is vital both to initiate treatment and to reach hospital quickly, 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 

Municipalities are responsible for primary healthcare services. Municipal health and care services include, among others, GP services, health clinics and school health services, physiotherapy, rehabilitation, home nursing/home care services, and nursing homes.

Certain services are organised jointly by municipalities 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.

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