Medical records abroad

Find out before you leave what medical records you need to take with you

If you are seeking treatment abroad, find out from the treatment provider what medical records are required. Necessary records usually consists of a referral or a medical certificate, a medical report and laboratory and imaging results.

Medical records in Finnish are seldom of any use as such abroad. Specific medical terms and codes such as diagnosis classification, laboratory and other procedure codes are, however, internationally recognised, and should be made available to the treatment provider.

Treatment providers abroad have no obligation to translate medical records. Kela does not reimburse costs incurred from translating medical records. Clients are usually responsible for paying these themselves.

Electronic Patient Summary abroad

Finnish patient data can gradually be utilised by healthcare providers in other EU countries if consent to do so has been given in MyKanta. Your health information will be forwarded abroad in the form of a Patient Summary, which is a compilation of your most important patient records. The summary will allow healthcare professionals to view a limited amount of patient information that has previously been recorded about you in Finnish healthcare and stored in the Kanta services. This information includes, for example, prescriptions, allergies and diagnoses. Read more on Kanta.fi.

At the moment, Finnish patient data can only be transmitted to Estonian and Spanish healthcare providers. Other countries are also gradually being included in the service. Finnish residents using health care services in Estonia can ask the treatment provider whether it is able to access patient data in Finland. In Spain, this service is currently limited to certain areas. You can check the exact areas on the Kanta website.

Proceed in the following manner if you are going abroad

• Check which language medical records should be written in. Have the documents translated, if necessary, into a language that the treatment provider will understand. You are responsible for arranging translation and covering the costs yourself.
• Agree on how your medical records will be delivered to the treatment provider. In general, the relevant authorities do not transfer information abroad. In general, you are responsible for providing the medical records and for any costs incurred yourself. Your Finnish patient records can also be sent electronically to Estonia and certain areas of Spain if you have given consent to do so in MyKanta.
• Be aware that patient records contain sensitive personal data as well as health and medical information. Particular attention must be paid to data security when handling medical records.

Make sure that you get the information concerning your treatment back to Finland with you

When you have received treatment aboard, you are entitled to the medical records in written or electronic format or to a copy thereof. Medical records are generally written in the official language of the country providing the treatment. The treatment provider has no obligation to provide medical records in other languages. Find out in advance

• what kind of documentary information on your treatment abroad will be made available to you
• the language in which the records will be provided
• whether they will be in paper, electronic or other form, such as a CD
• when and how the records concerning your treatment will be made available to you
• whether any fees will be involved in providing the records.

Provide those responsible for your follow-up care in Finland or your health centre with the medical records concerning the treatment you received abroad. You are responsible for having the records translated into Finnish or Swedish.

The public health care system enters medical records concerning treatment you have received abroad in its own patient records system from where they will be passed to the My Kanta pages.

It is not yet possible to electronically transmit patient records from abroad to Finnish healthcare systems, so you will have to take care of the transmission of your records yourself.

Proceed as follows when you have received treatment abroad

• Request all medical records relating to you from the treatment provider.
• Have the documents translated into Finnish or Swedish, if you need them in the Finnish health care system. You are responsible for translation costs.
• Send the documents in Finland to the party responsible for your possible follow-up treatment