Stream: nordics
Topic: Use case for IPA in Finland
Mikael Rinnetmäki (May 22 2021 at 09:31):
Finland is currently passing legislation that includes the mandate for citizens to get access to their health data from the national Kanta registry, thgough apps. We've had a patient portal for viewing the data for many years, this change is about API access to that data.
Mikael Rinnetmäki (May 22 2021 at 09:32):
Details are at https://www.eduskunta.fi/FI/vaski/HallituksenEsitys/Sivut/HE_212+2020.aspx and https://www.eduskunta.fi/FI/vaski/HallituksenEsitys/Documents/HE_212+2020.pdf. Both in Finnish, but Google Translate might be your friend.
Mikael Rinnetmäki (May 22 2021 at 09:32):
Especially:
- 20 § Potilastietojen luovuttaminen valtakunnallisten tietojärjestelmäpalvelujen avulla Potilastiedot voidaan luovuttaa asiakkaalle hyvinvointisovelluksen tai kansalaisen käyttöliittymän kautta. Saadakseen tiedot hyvinvointisovellukseen potilaan tulee ottaa hyvinvointisovellus käyttöön ja hyväksyä tietojen luovutus. (page 167 in the PDF file, recitals pages 103-105)
- 52 § Siirtymäsäännökset Lain 20 §:n 4 momenttia sovelletaan hyvinvointisovellusten osalta viimeistään 1 päivänä joulukuuta 2022. (page 180 in the PDF file)
In essence: citizens can download their patient data with an app. This shall be possible on December 1, 2022 at the latest.
Mikael Rinnetmäki (May 22 2021 at 09:32):
We’ve made some noise about the existence of the IPA initiative, and have gotten good feedback, and IPA is present on architectural scetches on how this could be implemented (by Kela, the national institution responsible for implementation).
Mikael Rinnetmäki (May 22 2021 at 09:33):
Surely, though, the legislation does not mention IPA, HL7, or even interoperability.
Mikael Rinnetmäki (May 22 2021 at 09:33):
Now, in my view one risk is that if IPA is not considered to be “ready”, we’ll use something else instead – with no real interoperability with other systems.
Mikael Rinnetmäki (May 22 2021 at 09:34):
Another risk is that we’ll take the IPA draft and fill in the missing gaps and adopt it to our needs freely and think it is IPA – with no real interoperability with other systems.
Mikael Rinnetmäki (May 22 2021 at 09:34):
Right now would be the time to state that there is this group of countries, ministeries, HL7 affiliates, companies, or individuals, either interested in or committed to working towards an interoperable IPA specification.
Mikael Rinnetmäki (May 22 2021 at 09:34):
We could then tie that activity to Kela’s implementation, and use that as the first reference implementation.
Mikael Rinnetmäki (May 22 2021 at 09:36):
Why does this matter to me?
- As an app developer, I want to see a harmonized way of accessing health data, globally.
- The US already has a pretty good baseline with US Argonaut. Extended to Canada and UK? At least Apple Health is. We should aim to make this a global approach.
- Giving patients access to their data breaks down many of the barriers preventing data sharing today.
Jens Villadsen (May 22 2021 at 09:51):
@Michael Johansen @Thor Schliemann
Michael Johansen (May 22 2021 at 13:46):
I support your thoughts Mikael.
The Danish patient portal has also been in use for several years. Our challenge is several technologies for the integrations to the different databases (lab.reports, medication, documents, etc), why we also only have one patient App (made by the patient portal). A standardised IPA would ease a free market of patient Apps.
I see potential for areas like Copenhagen/Malmø, where cross-border access would be a logical next step.
Jens Villadsen (May 22 2021 at 13:47):
@Michael Johansen - it should be a fairly easy technical task to provide a IPA FHIR API around sundhed.dk (the patient portal) - it is not the tech choice that is the issue here, AFAIK.
Vassil Peytchev (May 22 2021 at 18:23):
In case this was missed - based on the IPA/IPS discussion during the Connectathon, there is an official PSS for IPA, this is an excellent time to provide feedback on it (instructions for reviewing a PSS are at https://confluence.hl7.org/display/HL7/How+to+Create+and+Review+a+Project+Proposal)
Mikael Rinnetmäki (May 23 2021 at 14:55):
Thanks @Vassil Peytchev!
This is great timing. I'll try to get people in Finland activated to participate in the work in Patient Care, as it starts.
Rob Hausam (May 23 2021 at 23:53):
This is the Project Proposal (the first phase). Once that has been reveiwed and approved then the actual PSS will be submitted for approval (initially by the sponsoring WG and any co-sponsors) - Patient Care is proposed as the sponsoring WG (and I'm pretty certain that will be agreed to), as we want to have both IPS and IPS being developed and managed and working together as closely as possible.
Mikael Rinnetmäki (Jun 09 2021 at 14:58):
@Rob Hausam can you share the details of the IPA / IPS related call you mentioned?
Rob Hausam (Jun 09 2021 at 15:00):
We're on the call right now at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5328571160.
Last updated: Apr 12 2022 at 19:14 UTC
