legevakten

Legevakten is the Norwegian system for urgent medical care outside regular general practice hours. It provides assessment and treatment for urgent health problems that are not life-threatening and cannot wait until the next day. Legevakten is part of the primary health care network and is intended to relieve the regular hospital emergency departments from non-critical cases.

Staffing and services: Legevakten are staffed by on-call general practitioners, sometimes with nurses, and occasionally other specialists. They perform triage, initial examination, and treatment, including minor procedures, wound care, basic diagnostics, and prescription of medicines when appropriate. They can decide whether the patient can be treated at the Legevakten or needs referral or transfer to hospital.

Access: In Norway, emergency help is available via the national medical helpline 116 117, which can guide to Legevakten or other services. In genuine emergencies, call 113 for ambulance services. Some Legevakten operate with walk-in access during their opening hours; others require prior telephone contact or an appointment.

Organization and scope: The centers are usually operated by municipalities or regional health authorities and work in coordination with daytime general practice and hospitals. The scope and procedures can vary between counties; Legevakten use standardized triage protocols to assess urgency and safety.