In the Kymenlaakso welfare area, three employees have been caught accessing patient information without authorization in the past six months, with the latest incident involving over 40 individuals.
In Finland's Kymenlaakso welfare area, there have been three instances reported within the last six months of employees unlawfully accessing patient information. The most recent case, revealed by the welfare area last Thursday, involved an employee who looked into the private details of over 40 individuals. This unlawful access was uncovered through an internal investigation conducted in January, which led to the employee no longer working within the welfare area.
According to Mervi Takala, the area manager, the data access primarily concerned former clients. Previous instances were reported in January and October, during which other employees had also accessed not only the information of former clients but also that of colleagues and some external individuals. The employees’ justification for accessing such information is legitimate only when they have a client or care relationship with the individual or if their work responsibilities necessitate viewing those files.
Mervi Takala mentioned that following these incidents, the welfare area has committed to implementing stricter monitoring of employees' data usage. This move highlights the importance of protecting patient confidentiality and ensuring that staff access data only for valid, work-related reasons, in line with legal and ethical standards. The cases underscore a critical issue in healthcare settings where employees must maintain strict boundaries concerning access to sensitive information.
