The Kanta Services form a unique service entity based on legislation.
Act on the Electronic Processing of Client Data in Healthcare and Social Welfare
Under the Act on the Electronic Processing of Client Data in Healthcare and Social Welfare (the Client Data Act), public providers of healthcare and social welfare services are obliged to enter client and patient data in the national archiving services.
The deployment of the Kanta Services is mandatory for private health and social service providers if they are using an information system for the purpose of processing of client and patient data. Private healthcare service providers do not have a transition period for joining the Kanta Services. They must join at the latest on 1 November 2021 when the Act will enter into force.
In terms of private and public providers of social services, the obligation to join will become effective within the transition periods. Further information about the entry into force of the Act and the transition periods:
The purpose of the Client Data Act is to promote and enable secure processing of client data produced by the health and social services and wellbeing data produced by the client themselves for the purpose of organising and producing health and social services. The purpose of the Act is also to promote the client’s access to information concerning the processing of their client data.
Act on Electronic Prescriptions
The Act on Electronic Prescriptions (the Prescription Act) prescribes that it is mandatory for pharmacies, health and social service providers issuing prescriptions, and independent prescribers to use the Prescription service. Hospital pharmacies can deploy the Prescription service, but there is no legal obligation to do so.
All prescriptions must be issued electronically. Telephone or paper prescriptions may be issued only in exceptional cases. The pharmacy will also convert these prescriptions into electronic format and record them in the Prescription Centre.
The objective of the Act is to improve patient and medicine safety and to facilitate a smoother and more efficient process of issuing and dispensing medicines.