Priorities for Kanta Services in 2022 established
The Kanta Services will be expanded and diversified in response to evolving customer needs and changes in legislation. The priority areas for 2022 are the My Kanta Pages, medication data and the implementation of social welfare functionalities. Further development of the services will address the information needs arising from the health and social services reform and the utilisation of data for knowledge management and secondary use purposes.
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) have publicised a set of priorities for the Kanta Services in 2022. Development of the Kanta Services is part of a broader roadmap for digitalisation and information management in the social services and healthcare sectors.
Kanta to expand in line with changes in legislation
Implementation of the Act on the Electronic Management of Client Data in Social and Health Services will be advanced in social services and healthcare. In effect since 1 November 2021, the Act has a broad impact on the Kanta Services and the electronic processing of client data in social services and healthcare. For example, the Act requires the providers of social services to join Kanta, spells out the requirement for private health service providers to join Kanta, details information system and data protection requirements, and enables users to store their wellbeing data in Kanta.
The wellbeing services counties created in the health and social services reform will assume responsibility for arranging social and health services and take on the role of data controllers. The migration of records and the transfer of data controller responsibilities will be carried out during 2022 in the Kanta Services and across the regions. Each wellbeing services county makes the necessary preparations and sets a schedule in collaboration with THL and Kela.
Development of the My Kanta Pages reflects legislative changes and user preferences
In developing further the My Kanta Pages, particular emphasis will be paid to technical functioning and the changes required by legislation. The Act on the Electronic Management of Client Data in Social and Health Services will now allow the My Kanta Pages to display social services information. The goal is to complete the integration of the functionalities related to social services by the end of this year.
Accessibility and usability will be part of all efforts to develop the My Kanta Pages further.
Development of medication list progresses
The Kanta medication list makes it easier for private individuals and professionals to keep track of medication use. Once implemented nationwide, the medication list would enable access to information on all of the medicines used by a particular person. Structured dosage data enable accuracy checks for automated dose dispensing, thereby improving drug safety. Many social services and healthcare professionals have asked for such features.
Information management around medicine use is developed in collaboration with national actors and the social services and healthcare sectors.
Emphasis placed on information quality and utilisation
The quality of information in the Kanta Services is improved across the data lifecycle. Collection of register data by THL and the Kanta Services is harmonised. The harmonisation will promote the single registration principle and allow the phasing out of separate data collection. Information quality is boosted by improving the quality of data registration. Interoperability of systems promotes and specifies in greater detail the usability and integrity of data. The goal is to provide access to more comprehensive monitoring data on social services and healthcare directly from the Kanta Services.
Prioritised Kanta deployments by social services and healthcare organisations in 2022
In deployments involving healthcare organisations, priority will be given to the changes required by the Act on the Electronic Management of Client Data in Social and Health Services and the social services and healthcare legislation, to the introduction of summarised key health data, and to the ability of guardians to manage the affairs of their underage children. Structured dosage and a new version of the Pharmaceutical Database will be adopted in stage one of the introduction of the Kanta medication list.
The Act on the Electronic Management of Client Data in Social and Health Services clarified the process for private health providers to join the Kanta Services. The last providers yet to join Kanta must adopt the Patient Data Repository if they are using an electronic patient information system.
In the social services sector, deployments of stage two basic functionalities and register access permissions will be prioritised. The stage two data contents are a statutory requirement for joining Kanta by 1 September 2024.
Kela and THL offer support and guidance to social services organisations deploying Kanta Services by organising various pre-deployment events and training in data registration, operational models and best practices.