It will be possible to store patient data recorded in connection with the organisation and implementation of social welfare services in Kanta’s Patient Data Repository starting from 1 January 2024. According to the Client Data Act, patient data generated in social welfare must be stored in the Patient Data Repository by 1 October 2026 at the latest.
Patient data may be generated in all social welfare service tasks. Social welfare services, which typically also generate patient data, include:
- parenting guidance and family counselling
- home care
- institutional care
- round-the-clock assisted living.
More detailed guidelines are being prepared
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, THL, and Kela are preparing guidance on patient data generated in connection with social welfare services.
The guidance clarifies which data generated by social welfare services are processed as patient data that must be recorded in the patient information system and stored in the Kanta Services’ Patient Data Repository. The guidance will also outline which data constitute social welfare services client data that are to be entered into the client information system and stored in the Client Data Archive for Social Welfare Services. The guidance supports system requirements and decision-making related to system procurement.
The goal is to enable better and wider utilisation of patient data generated in social welfare services by storing the data in the Kanta Services.
The guidance will be communicated in the spring at an informative meeting held in collaboration with the authorities. The informative meeting will take place after the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s Guide to client data processing has been published.
The Patient Data Repository must be in use
Storing social welfare patient data in Kanta requires that the service provider has deployed the Patient Data Repository. Read more: Patient Data Repository.