HEALTH: How to switch GPs in Norway
For whatever reason, you may wish to change your GP, or 'fastlege'. Luckily, you are allowed to do this- but there are still some rules you should know about.
The overwhelming majority of people in Norway are entitled to a GP, and if you are reading this, you likely have one already.
For those without a doctor, you will need to be enrolled in the National Insurance Scheme and have a national identity number.
However, you won't automatically be assigned a GP, and you'll have to register with a GP yourself.
READ MORE: How to register with a doctor in Norway
When are you allowed to change doctors?
If, for whatever reason, you want to change your doctor, say you don't gel with them, find it hard to get an appointment or have heard great things about another GP, then you can change your fastlege.
The Norwegian GP system allows for decent flexibility, and you are allowed to change your doctor up to two times in one calendar year, for whatever reason you wish.
You can also change your GP if your address in the national population register changes or your current doctor leaves the surgery or cuts their patient list.
How to change doctors
To switch doctors, you will need to head to Norway's digital health portal, helsenorge, and log in. You will need an electronic ID such as Commfides, BankID or Buypass ID to sign in.
Once signed up, you can select the county you are in and see a list of doctors in your local area. The list will have the doctor's name, age and gender, and if a substitute is covering them.
The new doctor you choose doesn't have to be in the same municipality as your address. For example, if you live in an area with not many appointments available, you could select a doctor in the next kommune if convenient for you.
When you change GPs in Norway, you'll need to ensure your new doctor has access to your medical records. It is your responsibility to do this, and much like signing up for a new GP, this isn't done automatically.
Having your medical records sent over to your new doctor simply involves contacting your former GP surgery and asking them to forward your record to your current practice. Your medical records also contain information from when something has been followed up, for example, notes from a scan or specialist.
If you move homes within Norway and decide to relocate back to the municipality you were living in, you can be re-enrolled with your original GP if you return within three years of moving away.
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The overwhelming majority of people in Norway are entitled to a GP, and if you are reading this, you likely have one already.
For those without a doctor, you will need to be enrolled in the National Insurance Scheme and have a national identity number.
However, you won't automatically be assigned a GP, and you'll have to register with a GP yourself.
READ MORE: How to register with a doctor in Norway
When are you allowed to change doctors?
If, for whatever reason, you want to change your doctor, say you don't gel with them, find it hard to get an appointment or have heard great things about another GP, then you can change your fastlege.
The Norwegian GP system allows for decent flexibility, and you are allowed to change your doctor up to two times in one calendar year, for whatever reason you wish.
You can also change your GP if your address in the national population register changes or your current doctor leaves the surgery or cuts their patient list.
How to change doctors
To switch doctors, you will need to head to Norway's digital health portal, helsenorge, and log in. You will need an electronic ID such as Commfides, BankID or Buypass ID to sign in.
Once signed up, you can select the county you are in and see a list of doctors in your local area. The list will have the doctor's name, age and gender, and if a substitute is covering them.
The new doctor you choose doesn't have to be in the same municipality as your address. For example, if you live in an area with not many appointments available, you could select a doctor in the next kommune if convenient for you.
When you change GPs in Norway, you'll need to ensure your new doctor has access to your medical records. It is your responsibility to do this, and much like signing up for a new GP, this isn't done automatically.
Having your medical records sent over to your new doctor simply involves contacting your former GP surgery and asking them to forward your record to your current practice. Your medical records also contain information from when something has been followed up, for example, notes from a scan or specialist.
If you move homes within Norway and decide to relocate back to the municipality you were living in, you can be re-enrolled with your original GP if you return within three years of moving away.
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