New Client Data Act improves flow of information in the healthcare and social welfare service. The Act will enter into force on 1 November 2021.
The new Act on the Electronic Processing of Client Data in Healthcare and Social Welfare, i.e. the Client Data Act, supports the reform of the healthcare and social welfare services. The objective is client and patient safety and the best possible care and service. The Client Data Act enables even more effective movement of client and patient data between service providers if the client has given consent to it.
Use of Kanta Services will expand further
The new Client Data Act obliges social welfare service providers to join the national Kanta Services. In addition, the Act enables sharing of client data in social welfare services with other social welfare service providers via the Kanta Services. The Act specifies the transition periods in terms of social welfare services.
The obligation of private healthcare service providers to join the Kanta Services has also been specified. This ensures that patient data will be available between service providers when the data is needed and when there is a right to process it.
The new Act also enables saving of personal wellbeing data or data produced by various wellbeing applications in Kanta PHR of My Kanta Pages in the Kanta Services.
Client decides on the use of their data
According to the Client Data Act, clients must be informed of the Kanta Services and their rights to have a say in the processing of their personal client and patient data. As from 1 November 2021, an information text will open in a new window on the home page of My Kanta Pages. It will be possible to log in to My Kanta Pages after the client or a person acting on their behalf has acknowledged receipt of the Kanta information.
After accepting the information, the client will be able to have a say in the visibility of their data either with a consent or denial of consent to data sharing. The information can be received and the consent to data sharing can be given also in connection with a visit to a healthcare provider.
Data entered in the Kanta Services is always available to the healthcare and social welfare service provider into whose register it is recorded. Healthcare professionals attending to a patient’s care can also use the patient’s prescription data and data that has been recorded in the regional patient register in public healthcare without separate consent to data sharing.
By providing consent or a denial of consent to data sharing, the client will be able to decide whether to share their data with other service providers. Consent to data sharing corresponds to the consent that was previously used in the healthcare service. Previously issued consents will remain in force and turn into consents to data sharing.
The client can limit the use of their data, for example, by denying consent to viewing the data concerning a certain prescription, appointment or treatment period. Previously issued denials of consent will remain valid. Consents and denials of consent to data sharing will be valid until further notice, and they can be withdrawn.
Data security will also improve
The new Client Data Act also specifies the requirements concerning information systems. All client data must be processed in a secure way and they must only be used in a care or service situation.
The client will still be able to manage the use of their personal data in My Kanta Pages or when visiting the healthcare service. In addition to their own data, the client can see in My Kanta Pages where that data has been used. Data in the social welfare services can be viewed in My Kanta Pages at a time to be confirmed at a later date.
Deployment of changes in the Client Data Act makes progress in the healthcare service
The patient data systems must implement the changes in the Client Data Act in relation to Kanta information and consent to data sharing during 2022. The changes must be in use in the healthcare service by 1 January 2023.
The healthcare and social welfare personnel must be able to tell about the change to their clients. Information about the changes to the Client Data Act is available in kanta.fi and My Kanta Pages. The materials are updated according to the transition periods.
Further information
- Impacts of the Client Data Act on Kanta Services – healthcare and social welfare professionals
- Operating models and methods – Information management in the healthcare and social welfare sector (thl.fi, in Finnish)
- Training recording: Impacts of legislative changes on the operating models of the Patient Data Repository and the Prescription 29 September 2021 (in Finnish)
- Video: Which changes will the reforming Client Data Act bring to the social welfare service? (youtube.com, 29,20, in Finnish)
- Notice: Obligation by private healthcare and social welfare service providers to join the Kanta Services becomes more stringent as a result of the new Client Data Act (in Finnish)
- Act on the Electronic Processing of Client Data in Healthcare and Social Welfare (finlex.fi, in Finnish)