Waiting times for investigation and treatment

In the service Choose a treatment centre, you will find waiting times for investigations and treatments within:

• physical health
• mental health
• substance abuse
• habilitation
• rehabilitation

The waiting time shown for each treatment centre is the longest you can expect to have to wait before you can attend or be admitted to the treatment centre. Each waiting time is an estimate and not the exact length of time you have to wait.

Waiting times are individualised

Once your referral has been sent to a hospital or service, the treatment centre is required to reply to you within 10 working days. The reply letter tells you whether or not you have been granted the right to healthcare. If you have been granted the right to healthcare, you will receive a letter informing you of when investigation or treatment is to be started by. You can choose between all the healthcare facilities listed under Choose a treatment centre. 

All referrals are assessed individually and patients with the same diagnosis may have different waiting times. The length of time you have to wait depends on:

• how serious your medical condition is
• your state of health
• your medication use
• whether you are being treated for more than one medical condition at the same time

Please note that the published waiting time is not a guaranteed waiting time for each individual patient but rather a discretionary assessment of the capacity at the treatment centre.

Clinical factors, such as other illnesses/disorders or other individual factors, may mean that some patients have to wait longer than the published time.

Waiting times are updated monthly

Each treatment centre is responsible for ensuring that its own waiting times published in the information portal are up-to-date, relevant and accurate at all times. The waiting times should be updated at least monthly.

Waiting times for physical healthcare

If you need investigation or treatment for a physical illness, you may have three types of waiting times.

1. Investigation: the waiting time from when the treatment centre receives a referral until the patient can attend for investigation. This may include medical examination.
2. Day treatment: the waiting time until the patient can undergo treatment. Includes any treatment that is not in-patient treatment, including out-patient treatment.
3. In-patient treatment: the waiting time until the patient can undergo treatment.

This applies to patients staying at least one night at the treatment centre. Where no waiting time for in-patient treatment is stated, admission as an in-patient may, however, still be indicated for medical reasons.

Waiting times for mental healthcare

If you need investigation or treatment within the mental health service, depending on the type of treatment you are waiting for, there may be three types of waiting times.

1. Out-patient investigation/treatment: the waiting time from when the treatment centre receives a referral until the patient can attend for investigation or treatment.
2. Out-patient group therapy: the waiting time from when the treatment centre receives a referral until the patient can join a group to start treatment.
3. In-patient treatment: the waiting time from when the patient is referred for in-patient/residential care until the admission date.

Waiting times for substance abuse disorders

If you have been referred for alcohol or drug dependency assessment or treatment, there may be three types of waiting times.

1. Out-patient assessment/treatment: the waiting time from when the treatment centre receives a referral until the patient can attend for investigation or treatment.
2. Detox programme: the waiting time from when the treatment centre receives a referral until the patient can be admitted for alcohol or drug detoxification.
3. In-patient treatment: the waiting time from when the treatment centre receives a referral until the patient is admitted as an in-patient.

Waiting times for habilitation and rehabilitation

If you need investigation or treatment within habilitation or rehabilitation, there are several types of waiting times.

Habilitation for children and young people

1. Out-patient investigation and treatment: the waiting time from when the treatment centre receives a referral until the patient can attend for investigation or treatment as an out-patient.
2. Group-based habilitation with individualised follow-up: the waiting time from when the treatment centre receives a referral until the patient can start group-based habilitation with individualised follow-up.

Habilitation for adults

1. Out-patient investigation, treatment, counselling: the waiting time from when the treatment centre receives a referral until the patient can attend for investigation, treatment or counselling.

Rehabilitation

1. Day/out-patient rehabilitation, individualised programme: the waiting time from when the treatment centre receives a referral until the patient can attend for investigation or treatment.
2. In-patient, individualised programme: the waiting time from when the treatment centre receives a referral until the patient can attend for investigation or treatment.
3. Day/out-patient group programme: the waiting time from when the treatment centre receives a referral until the patient can attend for investigation or treatment.
4. In-patient group programme: the waiting time from when the treatment centre receives a referral until the patient can attend for investigation or treatment.

If you have any questions about waiting times or choosing a treatment centre, call the helsenorge.no advisory service on telephone number 23 32 70 00 and ask to be put through to a patient advisor. You can also ask for advice from your GP/family doctor.