Population (mio.): 5,55 (per 2023)
GDP per capita (US$/EUR): 86,885/80,771 (per 2023)
Healthcare expenditure % of GDP: 8.1% (per 2022)
Healthcare expenditure per capita (US$/EUR): 7,805/7,252 (per 2022)
Healthcare model and general information on healthcare system (financing, stakeholders, insurance): In Norway, healthcare is funded primarily by general taxes and by payroll contributions shared by employers and employees. Enrolment is automatic for residents of Norway.
The national government is responsible for hospital and specialty care, which are handled at a local level through four Regional Health Authorities (RHAs). The RHAs have the overall responsibility for implementing national health policy through planning, organizing, managing, and coordinating activities with the hospital and pharmacy trusts in their region.
Municipalities are responsibility for the organization primary, preventive, and nursing care, as well as the administration of care together with the municipal councils. Furthermore, the municipalities also decide on public health initiatives or campaigns to promote healthy lifestyles and reduce social health disparities.
Cooperation between Norway and Denmark: Denmark and Norway have established peer-to-peer cooperation at ministry and agency level within the health sector. The cooperation contributes to solving global health challenges by sharing experiences, best practices and public-private solutions within three priority areas: Healthcare of tomorrow, health innovation and data and prevention and management of non-communicable diseases. The cooperation also serves as a platform for enhancing engagement of the Danish private sector in providing health sector solutions in the partner country.
The Danish-Norwegian health cooperation is led by the Ministry of the Interior and Health of Denmark and the Danish embassy in Oslo in collaboration with Danish Health Authority, Danish Health Data Authority and Statens Serum Institut. Norweigan partners are The Ministry of Health and Care Services, The Norwegian Directorate of Health and The Norwegian Institute of Public Health. The cooperation is financed under the Danish Strategy for Life Science.
Read more about the healthcare system in Norway here.
Secretary General, Ministry of Health and Care Services
Cathrine Marie Lofthus is Secretary General at the Ministry of Health and Care Services since June 2021. She is a medical doctor and holds a PhD in epidemiology and osteoporosis, and a Bachelor’s in administration, economics, and leadership. Lofthus was CEO at South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authorities for almost 7 years and responsible for all hospitals in the southern Norway with approx. 80,000 employees. She has also been Deputy CEO and Chief Medical Officer at Oslo University Hospital.
CEO, Vestre Viken HF
Lisbeth Sommervoll is the CEO of Vestre Viken HF since 2015. She is a medical doctor from the University in Tromsø and holds a Master’s degree in management from BI Norwegian Business School. Sommervoll has previously held different management positions in the Norwegian public health sector including being Director of the Division of Medicine at Akershus University Hospital and being Deputy CEO at Oslo University Hospital.
CEO, Western Norway Regional Health Authorities
Inger Cathrine Bryne is the CEO of Western Norway Regional Health Authorities since 2020. She has a background as a reg. nurse from Stavanger Nursing School, a degree in public administration and management from Nord University, and holds an Executive Master of Business Administration (MBA) from NHH Norwegian School of Economics. She has previously held a variety of management positions at Sørlandet Hospital and has been Head of Division and CEO at Stavanger University Hospital, Helse Stavanger.
CEO, Oslo Science City
Christine Wergeland Sørbye is CEO of Oslo Science City (OSC) since 2019. She is a board member of Oslo Business Region and a member of the Steering Committee for The Global Institute of Innovation Districts (GIID). She holds a Master’s degree in Science of Education (Cand.Ed) from University of Oslo, specialized in leadership, organizational theory and didactics. OSC is the first innovation district in Norway and is a collaboration platform between research institutes, business and government.
