Data sharing in social welfare and healthcare services

As a professional, you can also use Kanta to retrieve data generated in social welfare and healthcare services and pharmacies from other service providers. Your clients have the right to be informed about and to influence the use of their data. If information flows smoothly between different operators, the quality of care and services also improves.

The information about the Kanta Services informs the client about how their data is processed in the social welfare and healthcare system. Consent to data sharing and denials of consent to data sharing allow the client to manage the use of their data. Clients can grant consent or set denials of consent when visiting services to manage their affairs or in MyKanta.

On the pages below, you will find instructions on how to process client data in different services and on how clients can influence use of their data.

Operating models provide guidance for data sharing – the online school provides a chance to learn about them

The operating models for data sharing describe how you, as a social welfare and healthcare professional, can utilise the client and patient data recorded in Kanta in your work. The operating models will also guide you in how you need to consider data sharing practices in your work.

You can learn about the operating models in Kanta’s online school. The online course on data sharing will update your knowledge of what data you can view in your work via the Kanta Services and teach you the principles of data sharing. The online course lasts 60–90 minutes and is also suitable for students in the field.

It is the responsibility of every social welfare and healthcare service provider to instruct staff on how to apply the operating models locally. So, if necessary, please ask your workplace for further guidance.

In the future, Kanta will also allow data to be shared between social welfare and healthcare services

Data sharing between social welfare and healthcare services through Kanta will be possible by 1 March 2027 at the latest. Such data sharing will require separate consent to data sharing. Currently, data sharing between operators is only possible at a local level, for example, within a wellbeing services county.

We will provide more information on the new types of consent between different sectors later on in kanta.fi.

More information on sharing of data

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Last updated 13.6.2025