fastlegen

Fastlegen, or fastlege, refers to the general practitioner assigned to a resident within the Norwegian primary health care system. Each resident has the right to choose a fastlege from a list maintained by the local municipality. If someone does not actively choose, the municipality may assign a GP to them. The fastlege is the first point of contact for non-emergency medical concerns and serves as the central coordinator of an individual’s care over time.

Role and responsibilities: The fastlege provides routine examinations, diagnoses, treatments, preventive services such as vaccinations and screenings, and ongoing management of chronic conditions. They assess the need for referrals to specialists and coordinate care with secondary and tertiary services. The fastlege keeps and updates the patient’s medical records, aiming to ensure continuity of care across encounters and over the years.

Access and services: Appointments are typically requested through the GP’s practice, with options for same-day appointments for urgent issues and telephone or digital consultations in many cases. Home visits may be arranged for patients who cannot attend the clinic. The fastlege system also supports preventive care and health counseling tailored to the patient’s age and risk factors.

Funding and rights: Primary health care is financed through the national system. Patients pay small co-payments for visits, with exemptions and a yearly cap on out-of-pocket expenses known as the frikort. The fastlege network is designed to provide universal access and to streamline referrals to specialists when necessary.

See also: general practitioner, primary care, gatekeeper function.