Further information about acting on behalf of someone is available from healthcare units and pharmacies. A parent or other guardian can act on behalf of their child in MyKanta. This function will be rolled out in phases.
Acting in matters related to prescriptions
If someone else collects your prescriptions from the pharmacy on your behalf, they must show your patient instruction sheet of the prescription or your Kela card. When using a Kela card, the person acting on behalf of someone else must know which medicines they are collecting. It is also possible to give an e-authorisation in the Suomi.fi online service to the person who is collecting the prescription medicines. When using the mandate, the person collecting the prescription medicines must know your personal identity code.
Handling of any other prescription-related matters in the pharmacy requires an e-authorisation from Suomi.fi or a completed and signed Prescription authorisation form. Due to patient safety and data protection, the forms are available only in pharmacies, healthcare services and Kela’s service points.
With the mandate, another person can act on your behalf in pharmacies and
- request a summary of your medicines
- check on the medications used
- ask for an electronic prescription to be cancelled when you no longer need the medicine
- order a repeat electronic prescription.
Healthcare services require a prescription authorisation form.
The healthcare unit and pharmacy always check the identity of persons acting on behalf of others, as well as their right to represent them.
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Prescription authorisation forms:
- authorisation for a person to act on behalf of the patient in the pharmacy
- authorisation for a person to act on behalf of the patient in the healthcare service
- authorisation for a representative of a service housing and home care service provider to act on behalf of the patient in the pharmacy and healthcare service
- withdrawal of authorisation
- consent to the healthcare service to view the data in the Prescription Centre in other than healthcare situation.
Advice on the use of authorisation forms is available from pharmacies and healthcare units.
For the pharmacy, authorisation may be given for one visit only or for 3 years. The e-authorisation for pharmacies can be selected for a specified period up to a maximum of 25 years. In the healthcare service, the authorisation is always valid until further notice.
Carer or trustee acting on behalf of another person
Acting on behalf of a child over 10 in MyKanta will be deployed in phases as from 1 October 2020. A carer or a trustee can act on behalf of another person in the healthcare service and pharmacies. They the same rights to act as the patient himself. The representative may also give consents on behalf of the patient.
The legal representative may be e.g. a minor's carer or trustee, who has been charged with taking care of matters related to the patient's health. More further information about acting as the representative of a minor child.
Acting on behalf of someone in relation to patient data
- The person acting on behalf of someone else, has the right to disclose information, if the patient does not have the precondition to review the meaning of the authorisation.
- A parent or guardian cannot refuse a disclosure of information in MyKanta, but in the healthcare service this is possible.
- The person acting on behalf of someone else cannot cancel a consent to data sharing made by the patient him- or herself.
Under-aged parent or carer
If a child's parents or carers are under 18, they have the right to act on the child's behalf both in healthcare units and pharmacies. In this case, they have the same rights to take care of an under-aged child's affairs as an adult parent or carer. A minor can act as another person's representative and, for example, collect medicines on their behalf. However, it is not possible to grant them other consents related to medication.
Acting on behalf of an adult
An adult and fully authorised person may act on behalf of another adult in MyKanta, provided that they have been granted a mandate. Access is based on e-authorisation with Suomi.fi authorisations (suomi.fi).