[Doctors' use and assessment of a fee-for-service life-style advice scheme]

Fee-for-service life-style advice, a "green prescription" was introduced in Norway in 2003 as an alternative to the prescription of drugs to patients with moderate hypertension or risk of type 2 diabetes. The prescription includes an assessment of diet and/or physical activity, and an individual plan for change with systematic follow up from the GP. Material was provided by the Directorate of Health and Social Affairs, and a special fee of NOK 200 was established. The Research Institute of the Norwegian Medical Association has evaluated GPs' attitudes to and use of this scheme.

A representative sample of 1134 Norwegian GPs, of whom 59% responded. Ten of the respondents were also interviewed comprehensively over the telephone.

Green prescriptions has low legitimacy among Norwegian GPs. Advise on lifestyle to patients with moderate hypertension or risk of type 2 diabetes is already an integral and natural component of GP work and calls for no extra fee or bureaucratic procedures. There is a risk of medicalisation in that non-patients become patients. On the other hand, patients who already are on drugs, but who may be able to reduce or eliminate these if they change their lifestyle, are not included in the scheme. Further development of the concept should to a larger degree include collaboration with the GPs.