How to access the health services from home

You should as far as possible contact the health services digitally or over the phone.

Online consultation via Helsenorge (e-consultation)

You can log in to helsenorge.no to see who your general practitioner (GP) is and find information on how to get in touch with the doctor's office.

If your GP offers online consultations, this will be visible to you when you log in. This is referred to as e-consultation ("e-konsultasjon") and involves audio, video or text conversation by using for example a PC, tablet or phone.

Click «Start e-konsultasjon» to get started.

If your GP does not provide digital health services via Helsenorge, you will be notified about this when you log in.

When you log in to helsenorge.no, information on who your GP is will be displayed at the top of the page.

Click Se informasjon om fastlegen din ("See information about your GP") to access information about your doctor and the doctor's office, such as their website, other doctors at the same office etc.

Video consultations with hospitals via Helsenorge

An increasing number of hospitals are offering video consultations with their patients. Some of these video consultations can be carried out via Helsenorge.

Some hospitals offer video consultations even if this does not appear when you are logged in to Helsenorge. The doctor will then guide you about how to start the video consultation.

How to carry out a video consultation

How to start the video consultation at helsenorge.no

If a video consultation has been scheduled via helsenorge.no, you will see this in your Appointments ("Timeavtaler") when you are logged in. In order to take part in a video consultation, you will need the following:

• PC or mobile equipment with a web camera and microphone
• Headphones or speakers
• Internet access

In advance

Prepare for the consultation well in advance and make sure the video and sound function well. If this is the first time you take part in a video consultation you need to calculate some extra time. Find a location where you will not be disturbed and where background noise can be avoided. If you experience problems, contact the clinic / health service provider.

• Make sure that the equipment you are going to use has access to the internet and is connected to a secure network.
• Click on the invitation you have received or open the video consultation as agreed.
• If you do not want anyone to be able to listen to the conversation, ensure that confidential information cannot be overheard by others.
• You might need to identify yourself and should be prepared for being asked to hold up your ID card with the image facing the camera. You can also ask the healthcare professional with whom you have the video consultation to identify themselves in the same way.

Do you need an interpreter? You have the right to receive information about your health, illness and treatment in a language that you understand. Read more about interpreting in the health services.

Costs

A video consultation should not trigger any additional costs. The cost should be the same as a regular doctor's appointment. Nor should there be any invoice fee, unless you ask to pay by invoice.

Consultation via video or over the phone outside of Helsenorge

Many GPs and other health service providers, such as psychologists and physiotherapists may offer consultations over the phone or by video outside of helsenorge.no. There is however no list of the health service providers who offer these services. To find out if your doctor offers this, you can:

• check your doctor's or clinic's website
• send an e-mail to the doctor or clinic
• call your doctor or clinic

I have other contacts in the health care services that I want to talk to

Health contacts

If you have an allocated coordinator or other contact person you will be able to find them under Health Contacts ("Helsekontakter") at helsenorge.no.

Messages / Inbox

The messaging service, called Inbox ("Innboks"), allows you to access and reply to messages that you receive from the health care service. Which messages you can access and reply to will depend on the health contacts you have or have had, with whom you have communicated earlier, and the level of consent you have given to access the services at helsenorge.no.

Read more about the messaging services here.

If your provider is not available via any of these services

If you cannot find the health service provider that you want to get in contact with through any of the mentioned services, you will need to look up and find their contact information yourself. Do not show up without an appointment. Visit their website, give them a call or contact them digitally if possible.

Questions about corona

If you have questions related to the coronavirus, you can find information at the helsenorge.no coronavirus webpages or by using the chatbot at the bottom of the page. You can also contact:

• The information hotline at 815 55 015 (open 08:00–15:30 on weekdays)
• Cancer Society (Kreftforeningen) for questions related to cancer and corona, over the phone at 21 49 49 21 or via chat.
• Questions about diabetes and corona? Call the diabetes hotline (in Norwegian) at 815 21 948.
• Do you have a lung disease and have questions related to corona? Get advice from LHL (National Association for Heart and Lung Disease)(in Norwegian).

What should I do if I suspect that I am infected?

• If you feel unwell, stay at home.
• If you are ill and need medical attention or individual health counselling, contact your doctor over the phone or digitally.
• If you need urgent health assistance and cannot reach your doctor, call the emergency out-of-hours clinic (116 117).
• In case of life-threatening illness or injury, call 113.