Enablers of social welfare services obliged to join Kanta Services — new Act on Electronic Processing of Client Data in Healthcare and Social Welfare enters into force on 1 November 2021

The new Act on the Electronic Processing of Client Data in Healthcare and Social Welfare has been adopted. The Act will enter into force on 1 November 2021. The new Act will repeal the current Act on the Electronic Processing of Client Data in Healthcare and Social Welfare. At the same time, the Act on Electronic Prescriptions and certain other Acts will also be amended.

The new Act on the Electronic Processing of Client Data in Healthcare and Social Welfare will oblige enablers of social welfare services to join the national Kanta Services. The Act will also make it possible to disclose data on social welfare clients to other enablers of social welfare services through the Kanta Services. The obligation of private healthcare service enablers to join the Kanta Services has also been specified. 

Owing to the extensive obligation to join the Kanta Services, service enablers will have access to client data whenever they need it and they will also have the right to process it. Clients may decide themselves whether to authorise or ban the disclosure of their data to other service enablers. The authorisation to disclose client data is a new safeguard in line with the EU General Data Protection Regulation. In terms of its effects, it is comparable to the broad consent currently in use in healthcare, which is required for the disclosure of data in the Kanta Services.  

Clients will be able to save their own wellbeing data in information systems

The new Act will expand the national information system services by making it possible for clients to save their own wellbeing data or data produced by different wellbeing applications in the new Personal Health Record (Kanta PHR) in the Kanta Services. Healthcare and social welfare professionals would get access to clients’ wellbeing data and could use it securely, provided that clients give their consent to this. In addition, clients could authorise another person to use the electronic services on their behalf.

Act lays down provisions on saving client documents in Kanta Services

The new Act on the Electronic Processing of Client Data in Healthcare and Social Welfare sets transition periods during which client and patient documents must be saved in the Kanta Services. The Act’s transitional provisions will replace the current Decree of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health on National Information System Services in Healthcare.

Inquiries

Joni Komulainen, Senior Ministerial Adviser, [email protected] 
Anna Kärkkäinen, Senior Specialist, [email protected]