Kansanterveysrekisteriä

The Kansanterveysrekisteri, also known as the National Register of Health Care in Finland, is a comprehensive electronic health information system maintained by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). Its primary purpose is to collect and store a vast amount of data related to healthcare services provided in Finland. This includes information on diagnoses, treatments, medications, and patient demographics.

The data within the Kansanterveysrekisteri is pseudonymized, meaning that direct personal identifiers are removed to protect patient privacy. However, the pseudonymization allows for linkage of health records over time and across different healthcare providers, creating a longitudinal view of an individual's health journey. The register serves multiple crucial functions, including supporting public health monitoring and surveillance, enabling research into diseases and health trends, and informing health policy and service planning.

Access to the data is strictly regulated and granted only to authorized researchers and public health professionals for specific, approved purposes. The Kansanterveysrekisteri plays a vital role in understanding the health of the Finnish population, evaluating the effectiveness of healthcare interventions, and ultimately improving public health outcomes. It is a cornerstone of evidence-based healthcare and public health practice in Finland.