Where is health data stored?
Social and health data is located across several different information systems, depending on which service and for what purpose the data was originally recorded.
In healthcare, doctors, nurses, and other professionals involved in care store the data generated during consultations into patient information systems.
In social services, social workers, social counselors, and other professionals record data generated during client work into social care client information systems.
These systems also function as registers, containing data on individuals who have used the services of a specific organisation over the years.
National registers and Kanta Services
Some health and social data is compiled into national Finnish registers where data is stored in a standardised format for predefined purposes. Examples include the Care Register for Health Care maintained by Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and the national Kanta Services.
THL’s Care Register collects data such as diagnoses recorded by wellbeing services counties. This data is used, for example, to monitor the service system and determine funding for the wellbeing services counties.
Kanta Services store key information essential for patient care, such as prescriptions, vaccination records, and social care documents. You can also view this information yourself via MyKanta.
Where is Emma’s data stored?
The dentist or dental nurse records Emma’s visit data into the patient register of the Pirkanmaa Wellbeing Services County, which Tampere is a part of.
Emma’s occupational health services are provided by a private service provider, so the doctor records the visit data into that specific provider’s register.
This data is also transferred to Kanta, where Emma can personally check her records, laboratory results, and prescriptions.
Information regarding Emma’s child benefit is stored in Kela’s register.