Dynamics in Entry and Exit Registrations in a 14-Year Follow-Up of Nationwide Electronic Prescription and Patient Data Repository Services in Finland

Abstract

There exist a need to carry out further research in order to describe implementation and adoption of nationwide healthcare information systems. This research aimed to follow-up in a 14-year period (2010–2023) of public and private healthcare service organizations’ entries to and exits from the centralized electronic Prescription and Patient Data Repository Services in Finland. Our material comes from the official Social Welfare and Healthcare Organization Registry (SOTE-organisaatiorekisteri), which is part of the national Code Server and the Kanta Services. Registry data were extracted in an excel file format in 3 January 2024. Outcomes were continuous registration of services or registered exist from the services. We found profound dynamics in the registry data. In the nationwide Prescription Services, the registered organizations provided altogether 8,884 follow-up years, during which in 2010–2023 there were in total 1,530 healthcare service organization entries and 553 exits from the national services, whereas 977 organizations had the national services in production in 2023. In Patient Data Repository Services, the registered organizations provided altogether 7,692 follow-up years, during which in 2011–2023 there were totally 1,980 healthcare service organization entries and 494 exits from the national services, whereas 1,486 organizations had the national services in production in 2023. No effects of Covid-19 epidemic were observed. Permanent legislation may explain many of the peak numbers observed in this research. Effects of the structural reform to reorganize healthcare, social welfare and rescue services to wellbeing services counties starting January 2023 were observed in this registry research on public healthcare service organizations.