The key goals will include:

• Archiving of electronic patient records
• Data-secure nationwide availability of medical records
• The adoption of electronic prescriptions
• The opportunity to provide electronic healthcare services on a nationwide basis

The Social Insurance Institution of Finland will act as the major implementer of the national architecture. The national architecture requires the development of an electronic patient record system in accordance with national specifications and specifications from the national information system services.

"The project forms a significant share of the whole package, which includes legislation, financing and the specification work. As soon as the Act governing the processing of electronic patient data takes effect, we will be able to prepare a detailed project plan in co-operation with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland and healthcare centres. As a whole, this project will be the most remarkable one in the healthcare sector for years," explains Pentti Itkonen, Senior Advisor, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

"This is a highly important project for the future of our entire healthcare system. The development of healthcare services requires integrated interoperable information systems using nationwide information system services. This solid basis will enable the creation of new, innovative services, for example: self-treatment of chronic illnesses.

The consortium's members are at the forefront of developing Finnish healthcare service solutions. Enabled by innovative and proven information systems, healthcare service organisations have been able to improve their service quality and develop proven processes. This expertise will underpin the design of the national information system architecture. It will provide both the healthcare sector and their patients, with substantial value and benefits," says Matti S. Häkkinen, VP Healthcare Solutions, WM-data Finland.

The national information system architecture specification work is scheduled for completion by 28th February 2007.

Related news articles:

• CSW Group Ltd's Profile

WM-data was founded in 1969 and is one of the leading IT companies in the Nordic region. Through industry expertise and close customer relationships, WM-data develop, provide and maintain a broad range of IT services and solutions improving our customers' efficiency and enhancing their competitive edge. www.wmdata.fi

Established in 1997, Avain Technologies is a Finnish software company specialising in the development and marketing of software for electronic forms, electronic signatures and long-term electronic archiving, based on open international standards. www.avaintec.com

CSW Group Ltd, a leading provider of electronic health records and knowledge management products for the healthcare industry in the UK. CSW's Case Notes product, combined with its expertise in HL7, XML and other open standards, has played a major role in the design and implementation of the NHS Care Records Service in England and in the Technical Proof of Concept for the Single Record in Wales. www.csw.co.uk

Established in 1989, Commit; Oy is a growing company leading the field in the development of solutions for the healthcare sector supplying customised electronic e-business solutions. Working within the healthcare-service, public and industrial sectors. www.commit.fi

Established in 1991, Medici Data Ltd. is a software and service company specialising in healthcare information technology. It develops, supplies and maintains key systems for the planning, control, monitoring and documentation of patient care and nursing, and integrates with other systems seamlessly to create a well-performing whole. www.medicidata.com