It is possible to act on behalf of a minor or another adult on MyKanta. The information of a child over the age of 10 will also be visible to the child’s guardians once the necessary changes have been made to the health care system. According to the new procedure, the decision-making capacity of a minor must be assessed in health care.
The procedure for acting on behalf of minors in health care
It is important to record decision-making capacity assessments correctly in healthcare services to avoid preventing prescription medicines from being dispensed. Use the online school to conveniently update your knowledge of the operating models for acting on behalf of a minor in your own time. The online school is available in Finnish and Swedish.
When the procedure for acting on behalf of a minor is in use, the health care professional assesses and records the minor's decision-making capacity during an appointment. If the minor is not able to make their own decisions, their information will be visible to the guardian on MyKanta. If the minor is deemed to be capable of making their own decisions, they can decide for themselves whether their guardian can see their information.
A health care professional assesses a minor's decision-making capacity in connection with each service event (in-person appointment, course of treatment or remote contact) and whenever prescribing or renewing a prescription.
The assessment is made on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the age and level of development of the child and the purpose of using health care services on that occasion. With very young children, the assessment of decision-making capacity is based on the level of development generally accepted for the child’s age. The information must be entered in a structured way in connection with both the appointment and the prescription.
A minor who has been assessed to be capable of making decisions may refuse to share the following data with his or her parents or guardians:
- information related to the appointment
- information related to the treatment period
- information related to prescriptions.
Data concerning a child over 10 years of age that has no accompanying information about the minor’s decision-making capacity and their wish to share data will not be shown to parents or guardians.
Acting on behalf of a minor will expand nationwide
Acting on behalf of a person over the age of 10 will become possible throughout Finland as health care organisations make changes to their own patient data systems. The modification work will proceed in accordance with the decisions of individual healthcare organisations. Until the new functionality is in use, a guardian cannot act on behalf of a person over the age of 10 on MyKanta.
The procedure for acting on behalf of minors in pharmacies
The new procedure for recording a minor's decision-making capacity also affects pharmacy services. In the Kanta online school, pharmacy professionals can update their knowledge on how the new recording method affects data sharing and the dispensing of medicines to the guardians of minors at pharmacies.
Acting on behalf of a minor in MyKanta
When a parent or guardian acts on behalf of their minor child in MyKanta, they will log in to the service with their own username and password, and then select the Child’s Data link and the child in question. The right to view a minor’s data is verified from the Population Information System. It is not possible to act on behalf of a minor with a mandate.
More information on acting on behalf of a minor from the guardian's point of view and on the restrictions related to transactions (shared custody and non-disclosure for personal safety reasons):
Benefits of acting on behalf of a minor
Showing the data concerning a minor in MyKanta
- supports the participation and the right to access by parents or guardians
- strengthens the minor’s right to a confidential patient care relationship
- improves the flow of information and reduces the number of letters sent by post
- enables viewing of data regardless of time or place.
Acting on behalf of a person over the age of 18
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). The authorisation can also be granted by means of an authorisation application if the person being authorised does not use electronic identification, such as online banking credentials.
The authorisation for MyKanta is under the heading Managing matters related to healthcare. It entitles to view, report and receive information related to the health status of the principal and to make healthcare appointments on behalf of another in the channels covered by the authorisation.
For the time being, guardians cannot act on behalf of an adult principal in MyKanta. A project is under way at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency to improve the access of legal guardians to electronic services.
Acting on behalf of someone in social welfare services
In the future, client data of social welfare services will also be shown in MyKanta. This means that acting on behalf of someone in MyKanta on the basis of custody or electronic authorisation will also be possible in terms of client data in social welfare services.