Consent to the sharing of prescription data
The sharing of prescription data via the Kanta Services is based on the information issued to the client and the denials of consent to data sharing set by the client.
Consent in healthcare
Healthcare professionals do not need to ask the client for separate consent to use the client’s prescription data in a treatment situation. If you want to retrieve prescription data for any other purpose, you will need written consent from the client.
Consent in pharmacies
At the pharmacy, a request from the client is needed to retrieve the client’s prescriptions in order to dispense their medicine. Separate consent is not required for retrieving data.
Denial of consent to prescription data sharing
Clients can set denials of consent to data sharing to apply to individual prescriptions. If the client has denied consent to sharing a prescription, the prescription data will not be shared with social welfare and healthcare service providers or with pharmacies.
Denials of consent in healthcare
Despite a denial of consent, the prescribing doctor and the service provider will be able to view prescription data for as long as the treatment relationship continues. The social welfare and healthcare services of the wellbeing services county are able to see prescriptions that were issued in previous public social welfare and healthcare services in the area. Prescriptions can be viewed even if the client has denied consent to sharing them. However, if the client has denied consent to sharing prescriptions after the wellbeing services counties began operations, the data will not be shared with another wellbeing services county or a private healthcare provider.
Denials of consent in pharmacies
A prescription for which a client has set a denial of consent to data sharing will not be available to a pharmacy when searching by personal identity code. The client must present the printed patient instructions or a summary printed from MyKanta in the pharmacy in order for the medicine to be dispensed.
Additionally, prescriptions for which a denial of consent to data sharing has been set cannot be shared with a foreign pharmacy.
Not all prescriptions are subject to a denial of consent to data sharing
Healthcare professionals and service providers can see the client’s prescription data despite a denial of consent if
- the professional or service provider prescribed the prescription themselves
- the client is requesting a renewal of the prescription
- the client’s treatment relationship is ongoing
- the client has consented to sharing prescription data in an emergency.
Despite a denial of consent to data sharing, the prescriber will be shown the details of the paper and telephone prescriptions stored by the pharmacy in the Prescription Centre for which they are indicated as the prescriber. The prescriber can also see information on the dispensing of the prescription.
If a doctor is prescribing a client a CNS medicine or a narcotic medicine, they can obtain information from the Prescription Centre about the client’s previous prescriptions for similar medication and their dispensing information.
A hospital pharmacy can view prescriptions that are subject to a denial of consent to data sharing if the prescription was recorded by the same service provider under which the hospital pharmacy operates.
In the event of a malfunction or error in the information systems, the technical staff of the healthcare service provider, Kela or the information system supplier will be able to see the prescription data to the extent required to resolve the situation.
Instructions for setting denials of consent to data sharing for prescription data
Clients can set denials of consent to data sharing
- in MyKanta
- when visiting a healthcare unit.
If a client sets a denial of consent to data sharing when managing their affairs, the healthcare professional records the denial in the patient information system from which information is stored in Kanta.
A denial of consent to data sharing is valid until further notice and can be withdrawn by the client at any time.
Print out a copy of the consent to data sharing or a summary of the denials of consent to data sharing the client has set, if they so request. The printouts do not need to be signed or archived.