A discharge summary from the hospital is a short account of your examination or treatment. It helps your GP and others who provide follow-up care. You can read it where the hospital makes your records available digitally, or ask the treatment facility for a copy.
What is a discharge summary from the hospital?
A discharge summary brings together information that matters for further healthcare. It is not your entire medical record. Your record may also contain ongoing notes, test results, images and other documents. The Norwegian Directorate of Health describes a discharge summary as a summary of available medical record information needed for proper follow-up.
You may receive one after a hospital admission, outpatient treatment or other specialist care. It may explain what was examined, the hospital's assessment, what was agreed for the next stage and who will follow up. Its contents vary with the treatment. If you need a specific test result or an operation report, you often have to request it as well.
This distinction helps when you explain your health situation to a new doctor. SamfunnPrep's overview of the healthcare system explains the difference between a GP, an out-of-hours clinic and a hospital. SamfunnPrep also has practical everyday tools, but healthcare professionals must answer questions about your treatment.
Who receives the summary, and when is it sent?
The hospital must send the summary to the healthcare professional who admitted or referred you, to professionals who need the information for further treatment, and to your regular GP. This follows from section 26 of the Health Personnel Act, as explained by the Norwegian Directorate of Health on 2 October 2026. The provision changed on 1 July 2026 and replaced former section 45 a. Older guidance may therefore cite another section number.
As a starting point, the summary should be sent when you are discharged or the treatment ends. If that is not possible, it must be sent within a medically appropriate time. There is no general guarantee that it will appear in your digital records on the day you go home. If the GP needs information before the summary is finished, the treatment facility and GP should clarify how necessary details will be shared.
According to the Directorate's guidance, you may ask for the summary to be sent to another healthcare professional. In certain circumstances, you may also object to its transfer. Discuss this with the treatment facility; do not assume that you can prevent all sharing simply by not opening the document on Helsenorge.
Where can you find your own discharge summary?
Start with the Pasientjournal service on Helsenorge. There you can see documents from selected hospitals in the Helse Nord, Helse Vest and Helse Sør-Øst regions. Examples include discharge summaries after surgery and consultation notes. Helsenorge also says that a GP's medical record is not shown in this service, and hospitals in Helse Midt-Norge do not display their records there. A missing document therefore does not necessarily mean the hospital never wrote it.
To use the digital medical record service, Helsenorge says you must be over 16 and have consented to access level Basis+ or higher. You can download a document you can see; it is then stored in Helsenorge's Dokumenter service. If digital login is difficult, several hospital trusts provide paper forms for requesting access.
| Situation | First step | If you still cannot find the document |
|---|---|---|
| The summary appears on Helsenorge | Check its date and treatment facility; download it if needed | Ask the hospital to explain unclear words or information. |
| You were treated at a hospital that does not display records there | Contact the treatment facility | Request a copy of the summary or the part of the record you need. |
| You need your GP's own record notes | Contact the GP practice | Ask for a copy directly from the practice, not through the hospital record. |
| You are unsure whether the summary reached your new GP | Ask the GP and hospital | State the treatment date and department; do not send sensitive data in open email. |
The guide to the Helsenorge app explains how its digital health services fit together. Remember that which documents you can see depends on the treatment facility, not just on having the app.
How can you read the summary without misunderstanding it?
First look at the date, treatment facility and follow-up plan. Then mark any words you do not understand. Helsenorge says you have the right to an explanation of difficult words and phrases in your medical record. Ask the hospital or GP what the assessment means for you and who will do what next.
Consider this fictional example:
“The patient was examined for abdominal pain. Blood tests showed no signs of an acute infection. Follow-up with the GP if symptoms persist. The patient should make contact if symptoms worsen.”
This says the hospital did not find signs of one particular acute condition in the examination performed. It does not say that every possible cause has been ruled out. Write down the question “Which symptoms mean I should contact a doctor before the follow-up?” and ask a healthcare professional. SamfunnPrep's GP guide explains how to contact and choose a GP.
Prepare a short list before the conversation:
- Which diagnosis or assessment is actually written in the summary?
- Which test results or examinations do I need explained?
- Who arranges any follow-up appointment: the hospital, the GP or me?
- When should I contact healthcare services again, and which service?
Such a note is better than guessing what medical abbreviations mean. AI tools can explain common terms, but they do not know your entire record or your circumstances.
How do you ask for a copy or clarification?
You have the right to see your medical record. Helsenorge provides digital and paper forms for requesting all or part of a record from the relevant health region. Contact the facility that treated you. Give your name, treatment date and department, and state that you are requesting a “copy of the discharge summary”; use the facility's secure form or recommended channel.
Short text for a secure message: “I was treated in [department] around [date]. I would like a copy of the discharge summary from this visit and information about where I can ask questions about its contents.” If you also need test results, say so explicitly. Helsenorge explains that a request can cover the whole record or only part of it.
If you notice a specific error, report it to the treatment facility in writing. You cannot change the medical record yourself on Helsenorge. Use Helsenorge's official correction form and describe the information you believe is wrong. If your condition suddenly worsens, contact healthcare services directly rather than waiting for record access.
Sources checked on 2 October 2026: the Norwegian Directorate of Health's comments on section 26 of the Health Personnel Act and statistics on discharge summary timing, and Helsenorge's guidance on medical records.
