Steering of information management
THL’s steering of information management in the health and social services sector establishes shared rules for defining, processing and utilising data. In practice, this includes, for example, THL defining national classifications and code systems, as well as issuing guidance on data recording practices.
THL’s task is to ensure that health and social care data forms a coherent foundation for service provision, service development and decision‑making.
Health and social services are provided in a decentralised manner, but decision‑making and guidance require a shared situational picture. Without national steering, information is not comparable and cannot support equality, effectiveness or cost monitoring.
Health and social services are developed and managed in a context where decisions have significant impacts on people’s daily lives and the sustainability of public finances. Therefore, senior officials and elected decision‑makers also need a shared and reliable knowledge base.
Information can be used to support strategic and political decision‑making. Openly available and comparable information on service use also strengthens citizens’ trust in the service system and decision‑making.
THL steers information management to support better services
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) is responsible for the national planning, steering and monitoring of information management in health and social services.
THL’s steering focuses particularly on:
- the electronic processing of client and patient data and the related information management
- national information system services (the Kanta Services)
- the use and implementation of shared sector‑specific data repositories
- the harmonisation of data structures.
In practice, this includes defining national classifications, code systems and data structures, preparing guidelines for documentation, and specifying requirements for information systems. A common architecture, definitions and monitoring ensure that information supports service quality, decision‑making and the long‑term sustainability of the system.
Foresight ensures smooth information management
Information management in health and social services is developed through foresight, joint planning and controlled implementation. Information management solutions should support service development and respond to changing operational and technological needs.
THL anticipates future requirements for information management, for example arising from digitalisation, new service models and international developments.
We coordinate nationally significant changes and support their implementation in cooperation with wellbeing services counties and other stakeholders. The aim is to ensure that individual development projects form a coherent and interoperable whole.
Continuous and controlled reform to strengthen the health and social services system
THL steers information management in health and social services in a long‑term and systematic manner to ensure that society and every citizen benefit from effective services.
This is a multi‑year transformation process, as the adoption of shared structures requires technical changes to information systems, updates to professionals’ documentation practices and often also adjustments to legislation. THL works closely with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, wellbeing services counties, service providers and information system vendors.
Changes are implemented in stages to ensure patient and client safety and to allow services to continue without interruption. Information needs also evolve over time—for example, new service models, digitalisation and research needs require continuous development.
THL also monitors the development of information management and produces data on the progress of digitalisation. Evaluation and monitoring help identify strengths, development needs and good practices across the country. In this way, foresight, implementation and evaluation form a continuous cycle of improvement.
Legal basis for steering
THL’s steering responsibilities are based on legislation. THL has the authority to issue binding regulations for actors in health and social services concerning, among other things:
- client and patient data and their recording
- the electronic processing of client data
- the data structures and information systems to be used.
- THL also steers the preparation of information security plans, information security and data protection practices, as well as the certification of information systems connected to the Kanta Services.
Steering is also based on the strategic guidance issued by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the national development programme, and legislation regulating the use of data and the requirements for information systems within the EU.
Areas of steering in information management
The shared enterprise architecture for health and social services structures how operations, information and information systems in the sector form a coherent whole. It links legislation, strategies, services, data domains and technical solutions. The enterprise architecture supports long‑term development and helps service providers assess how individual development projects affect the health and social services system as a whole.
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (STM) and THL coordinate and develop the national enterprise architecture for information management in health and social services. This architectural work supports organisations both in integrating services and in knowledge‑based management.
The social and healthcare data architecture defines common concepts, data models, classifications and code sets. These ensure that information means the same thing across different organisations and can be utilised in a comparable manner for various purposes.
Healthcare data architecture relies on well-known international standards, classifications and terminologies. A shared data architecture creates the foundation for data quality and interoperability.
THL is responsible for the content-level guidance of the social and healthcare data architecture and for coordinating national data definitions. We maintain and develop shared concept definitions, data structures and classifications, and support their use. We share the data definitions on our platforms for use by all social and healthcare operators. Social and healthcare service providers ensure that up-to-date data definitions are in use in their systems. This ensures that the information generated in social and healthcare services is commensurable and can be utilised across the entire social and healthcare system.
The interoperability of client information systems used by service providers is ensured through various specifications. These specifications focus on system functionalities. They describe, for example, system requirements, user workflows and the data used within them. Specifications are also prepared to standardise wellbeing applications used by citizens.
THL is responsible for preparing the specifications, in close cooperation with Kela’s Kanta Services. Service providers are responsible for ensuring that national specifications are applied in the information systems they use. System vendors and application developers also use the specifications in the development of their products.
THL issues binding regulations for actors in health and social services to guide the uniform, secure and lawful processing of information. The purpose of these regulations is to ensure that data is structured, of high quality and compatible across information systems.
The regulations support harmonised system functionalities and the secure use of data in the Kanta Services. They help service providers plan and implement information security in their organisations. Regulations also allow service providers to ensure that the systems and wellbeing applications they use are appropriate for their operations.
The essential requirements define which client and patient information systems and wellbeing applications may process client data and how they can be connected to national services. System and application vendors must demonstrate through certification that their systems meet the essential requirements.
High‑quality, structured documentation is the foundation of information management in health and social services. THL prepares and maintains documentation guidelines that support professionals in recording client and patient data in a consistent manner. Shared documentation practices and operating models ensure that information is comparable, usable across different information systems and in the Kanta Services, and available for statistical and registry purposes.
The guidelines help service providers maintain data quality and ensure patient and client safety. When professionals document information according to shared practices, service providers can use the data smoothly in continuity of care, management and decision‑making. Thus, everyday documentation becomes part of the knowledge base of the entire health and social services system.
Read more
- Documentation Guidelines in Healthcare
- Guidelines for Structured Documentation in Social Welfare
- Operating Models for Information Management in Health and Social Services
- Operating Models for Social Welfare Professionals in Processing Client Data
- Documentation in Oral Health Care
- Information Management in Medication Management
- Use of the RAI Assessment Tool in Client Work
- Use of the EQ‑5D‑5L Wellbeing Measure in Appointments
Data in health and social services consists of sensitive personal information, which is governed by data protection legislation and regulations on the electronic processing of client data. Data protection safeguards the rights and privacy of individuals, while information security ensures the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data. Reliable information management requires that data is processed only for lawful purposes and within appropriately protected systems.
THL steers information management to ensure that data protection and information security are implemented consistently across all service providers. The institute issues regulations and guidelines concerning the processing of client and patient data, as well as requirements for information systems. The aim is to ensure that information management solutions support compliance with legislation and enable the secure use of data throughout the health and social services system in Finland and Europe.
Information security in client information systems is ensured through essential requirements and certification. Systems must meet national information security requirements before they can be connected to the Kanta Services. This ensures that health and social care data is processed safely and reliably throughout the country.