Data assistant

How to use the Data assistant

Use the Data assistant to find out which data controllers and registries hold the data you are interested in.

Select the data categories you are interested in.
Select national and/or regional data, according to your needs.
Based on your selections, more detailed information will appear below the form.

Once you have identified the data controllers and registries relevant to your data needs, contact the data controllers for more information.

Note that this assistant is for informational purposes only. It offers a starting point for identifying relevant data sources but is not exhaustive and may not cover all registers. Selections here do not affect your application.

1. What data do you need?

2. Do you need national or regional data?

National

Regional

National birth and reproductive health data

Most births take place in public health care.
The Medical birth register holds comprehensive national data on births.
THL also holds other national registers related to reproductive health.
Pre- and postnatal care data is recorded in the Register of Primary Health Care Visits.

Data controller	Registers
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)	Medical birth register + Small preterm infants Congenital malformations Induced abortions Sterilisations Register of primary health care visits 2011– (prenatal and postnatal care)

Regional birth and reproductive health data

Most births take place in public health care.
The Medical birth register holds comprehensive national data on births.
THL also holds other national registers related to reproductive health.
Pre- and postnatal care data is recorded in the Register of Primary Health Care Visits.

Data controller	Registers
Public service providers: wellbeing services counties	Patient registers of primary and specialised healthcare

National death data

All causes of death are recorded in the national Causes of Death research data held by Statistics Finland.

Data controller	Registers
Statistics Finland	Causes of death
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)	Forensic medicine
Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV)	Population information system (date of death variable)

Regional death data

All causes of death are recorded in the national Causes of Death research data held by Statistics Finland.

Data controller	Registers
Public service providers: wellbeing services counties	Patient registers of primary and specialised healthcare

National demographic data

Demographic data can be found in the Population information system (basic personal information (e.g. date of birth, home municipality), family relations, places of residence, building information).
Statistics Finland also holds national demographic data. Findata does not grant permits for these registers, and the permit must be applied for directly from Statistics Finland.

Data controller	Registers
Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV)	Population information system
Findata	FinRegistry ready-made dataset

Demographic data is available only in national registers. However, extractions can be limited to a specific region using e.g. the wellbeing services county or municipality of residence variables.

Choose “national” above to see the national registers.

National healthcare administration and professional data

Health care professionals can be identified throughout different registers based on a unique registration number issued by Valvira.

Data controller	Registers
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)	Health and social work personnel in the public sector (Julkisen sektorin sosiaali- ja terveyspalvelujen henkilöstö) Health and social work personnel (Terveys- ja sosiaalipalvelujen henkilöstö)
National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira)	Central register of health care professionals (Terhikki) Central register of social welfare professionals (Suosikki) Register of social welfare and healthcare service providers and units (Soteri)

Regional healthcare administration and professional data

Health care professionals can be identified throughout different registers based on a unique registration number issued by Valvira.

Data controller	Registers
Public service providers: wellbeing services counties	Patient registers

National laboratory data

Laboratory data are generated in both public and private health care services.
Public services are based on 21 regional Wellbeing Services Counties.
Private services can be either regional or nationwide.
All laboratory data is also available through the Kanta Services.

Data controller	Registers
Kanta Services	Kanta Patient Data: Key health data Key health data

Regional laboratory data

Laboratory data are generated in both public and private health care services.
Public services are based on 21 regional Wellbeing Services Counties.
Private services can be either regional or nationwide.
All laboratory data is also available through the Kanta Services.

Data controller	Registers
Public service providers: wellbeing services counties	Patient registers of primary and specialised healthcare
Private social and health service providers	Patient registers (self paying/ insurance / occupational health care)

National medication data

Data controller	Registers
Kanta Services: Prescriptions	Prescribed medicines Dispensed medicines
Social Insurance Institution (Kela)	Dispensed medicines reimbursable under the National Health Insurance scheme Reimbursement rights for medicines
Finnish Medicines Agency (Fimea)	Adverse drug reactions Special permits
Findata	FinRegistry ready-made dataset

Regional medication data

Medication data are generated in both public and private health care services.
Public services are based on 21 regional wellbeing services counties.
Private services can be either regional or nationwide.
All prescriptions are electronical and as such stored in the national Kanta Prescription Center.
Hospital administered drugs are only available through health care providers.
The Finnish Social Insurance Institution Kela holds registers related to reimbursements of medicines.

Data controller	Registers
Public service providers: wellbeing services counties	Hospital administered medications in patient registers
Private social and health service providers	Hospital administered medications in patient registers

National patient care event data

Patient record event data are generated in both public and private health care services.
Public services are based on 21 regional wellbeing services counties.
Private services can be either regional or nationwide.
Patient record data stored in healthcare is considered raw data and is primarily collected for the purpose of patient care.
This data is also curated into national compilation registers in which the data is typically purely structural.
Note that textmining is only possible in the patient records of the health care providers.

Data controller	Registers
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)	Care registers
Kanta Services	Kanta Patient Data: Key health data
Findata	FinRegistry ready-made dataset

Regional patient care event data

Patient record event data are generated in both public and private health care services.
Public services are based on 21 regional wellbeing services counties.
Private services can be either regional or nationwide.
Patient record data stored in healthcare is considered raw data and is primarily collected for the purpose of patient care.
This data is also curated into national compilation registers in which the data is typically purely structural.
Note that textmining is only possible in the patient records of the health care providers.

Data controller	Registers
Public service providers: wellbeing services counties	Patient registers of primary and specialised healthcare, including dental care
Private social and health service providers	Patient registers (self paying/insurance/occupational health care)

Population studies and previous research data

Some population research databases may be available for secondary use via Findata.
Certain population studies by THL are stored by the THL Biobank.
Endpoint variables for these studies are available via Findata.

Data controller	Registers
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)	Surveys conducted by THL, eg. School health promotion study, FinSote survey Endpoint variables for certain surveys and studies conducted by THL (FinHealth, FINRISK, Health-2000-2011)

Population studies and previous research data is available only in national registers. However, extractions can be limited to a specific region using e.g. the wellbeing services county or municipality of residence variables.

Choose “national” above to see the national registers.

National quality registers and thematic datasets

Extractions from national quality registers and thematic datasets can be limited to a specific region using e.g. the wellbeing services county or municipality of residence variables.
Some thematic data originating from both public and private health care is assembled and summarised into national specialty registers and quality registers.

Data controller	Registers
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)	Infectious diseases Cancer Implant Visual impairment
THL Quality registers	Diabetes HIV Cardiac Psychosis care Spine Kidney diseases Rheumatology Intensive care Oral and dental diseases
Finnish Institute of Occupational Health	Occupational diseases Exposure measurements
Findata	COVID-19 ready-made dataset
Wellbeing services counties	MS-register

Regional quality registers and thematic datasets

Extractions from national quality registers and thematic datasets can be limited to a specific region using e.g. the wellbeing services county or municipality of residence variables.
Some thematic data originating from both public and private health care is assembled and summarised into national specialty registers and quality registers.

Data controller	Registers
Public social welfare and healthcare service organiser: Helsinki University Hospital (HUS)	Quality registers

National social care and social benefits data

Social benefits are comprehensively available on a national level from Kela, the Social Insurance Institution.
ETK – the Finnish Centre for Pensions, holds data regarding pensions.
Social care data are generated in public and social services.
Public services are based on 21 regional Wellbeing Services Counties.
Social care data stored in public services is considered raw data and is primarily collected for the purpose of social care.
This data is also curated into national compilation registers held by THL, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.
The data in these national registers is typically purely structural in nature.
Note that textmining is only possible in the social care records of the care providers.

Data controller	Registers
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)	Register of child welfare Register for social welfare services (Sosiaalihuollon seurantarekisteri) Care register for social welfare Register of social assistance (Toimeentulotukirekisteri) RAI data repository (tietovaranto) Shelter register (Turvakotirekisteri)
Finnish Centre for Pensions (ETK)	Pensions Earnings
Social Insurance Institution (Kela)	Military service Housing allowance Kela pension benefits Rehabilitation Families Medicines Students Social assistance Sickness Occupational health care Unemployment Insurance Disability benefits

Samples (biological samples and genome data from biological samples)

Biological samples and genome data are not available through Findata, but instead, Biobanks. These require a separate permit from the relevant biobank.

It is possible to link biobank data or samples with health and social care register data.

Regional social care and social benefits data

Social benefits are comprehensively available on a national level from Kela, the Social Insurance Institution.
ETK – the Finnish Centre for Pensions, holds data regarding pensions.
Social care data are generated in public and social services.
Public services are based on 21 regional Wellbeing Services Counties.
Social care data stored in public services is considered raw data and is primarily collected for the purpose of social care.
This data is also curated into national compilation registers held by THL, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.
The data in these national registers is typically purely structural in nature.
Note that textmining is only possible in the social care records of the care providers.

Data controller	Registers
Public service providers: wellbeing services counties	Patient registers

Socioeconomic data

Data in this category are not available through Findata. Socioeconomic data are available from Statistics Finland and require a separate permit from them.

It is possible to link socioeconomic data to health and social care register data.

National vaccination data

All vaccinations are given by health care providers.
Comprehensive data about vaccinations is recorded in the Kanta Services and the Care register held by The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

Data controller	Registers
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)	Vaccination register (Avohilmo)
Kanta Services	Kanta Patient Data: Key health data
Kanta Services: Prescriptions	Dispensed medicines
Finnish Medicines Agency (Fimea)	Adverse drug reactions

Regional vaccination data

All vaccinations are given by health care providers.
Comprehensive data about vaccinations is recorded in the Kanta Services and the Care register held by The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

Data controller	Registers
Public service providers: wellbeing services counties	All administered vaccines in patient registers
Private social and health service providers	Other vaccines than in the national vaccination program

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