The range of Kanta Services materials for which secondary use permits are available is expanding

Until now, it has been possible to apply to Findata for permits for prescription data, but it is now also possible to apply for a permit for key health information such as diagnoses, laboratory data and vaccination data. By the end of June, procedures, physiological measurements, and medical statements will also be made available.

The availability of data from the Kanta Services facilitates the secondary use of this data. Whereas previously, this type of data has had to be requested separately from local authorities, hospital districts or service providers using different patient information systems, accessing it through Kanta will make the process faster and more cost-effective.

"Kela is continually developing the Kanta data platform, through which national social welfare and healthcare data capital can easily be obtained for secondary use with a high level of data security,” says Anne Kaiterniemi, Lead Product Owner at Kela.

Kanta helps data flow within social welfare and healthcare services

With the help of the Kanta Services, patient and customer information flows smoothly between social welfare and healthcare providers, pharmacies and citizens as before. Client data from all over Finland is stored in the national Kanta system. The data is processed for secondary use using the Kanta data platform. The Kanta data platform is a progressively evolving data system solution that enables the secondary use of Kanta data. Currently available Kanta datasets and their descriptions are published in the Data resources catalogue maintained by Findata and THL (aineistokatalogi.fi). Permits to use the materials are granted by Findata.

"We have high expectations for the utilisation of Kanta data in secondary use. The goal is for our customers to utilise the data more in the future," says Mervi Siltanen, Head of Data Services at Findata.

What does secondary use of data mean?

The secondary use of social and health data means that social welfare and healthcare client data is used for purposes other than those for which they were originally stored. The primary use of the data is to treat a patient. The secondary use of data includes scientific research, statistics and regulatory guidance, among other things.

The Act on the Secondary Use of Health and Social Data lays down specific provisions as to how and for what purpose data can be used. The act entered into force on 1 May 2019 and brought the provisions of the legislative area into line with the requirements of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation.

Applications for permits to use social and health data for secondary use are submitted to the Finnish Social and Health Data Permit Authority, Findata. Findata's operations are supervised by the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman and Valvira, among other supervisory bodies.

Findata grants fixed-term data permits for the secondary use of data file materials in the social and health care sector when the data originate from several public controllers, the private sector, or Kanta Services. After granting the permit, Findata provides the requested data, combined and pseudonymised, to a secure remote access environment for the permit holder’s analysis.

Data available from the data resources catalogue

• Kanta patient data repository: Covid-19
• Kanta patient data repository: Key health information
• Kanta Prescription Centre materials

Further information

• Kela: datasets advisory service, tietoaineistot@kela.fi , tel. +358 50 476 2974
• Findata: Mervi Siltanen, Head of Data Services, mervi.siltanen@findata.fi