“A doctor who worked at HUS was illegally accessing data on his ex-boss.” (Helsingin Sanomat, 16.1.2025.) Such headlines are unfortunate, yet only a small part of the challenges concerning identity management in the health and social services sector. When access to systems is not managed effectively, both patient safety and the reputation of the organisation are at risk. In addition, operational efficiency suffers if identity management is not in place.
In this blog, we’ll show you how a modern identity management system can help you overcome these problems while saving you money and resources.
Some specific challenges in the social services sector
Social services and health care are in the midst of a major transformation. As cost pressures increase and new regulations such as the NIS2 Directive tighten requirements, staff turnover in the sector is at an all-time high. Fixed-term contracts, casual work, and inter-organisational mobility are creating a whole new set of challenges for identity management.
Recent data leaks and misuse speak for themselves: traditional identity management solutions are no longer enough. Unauthorised viewing of patient and customer data has become a major problem, and with frequent staff turnover and multiple systems, manual access control is virtually impossible.
Modern IAM meets the challenges
Modern identity management is not an expense but an investment in the future. It works intelligently in the background of the organisation, automating processes in a way that frees up resources for what matters most – customer and patient care.
The system manages access rights throughout the employee’s lifecycle. When a new employee starts, the system receives information directly from the HR system and automatically activates the correct access rights. The employee can start work right on the first day, once all the necessary IDs and access rights are in place.
Smart solutions for different phases of the employment relationship
The specific circumstances of the social care sector require exceptional flexibility in identity management. Shifts, on-call shifts, and multiple concurrent employments are commonplace. A modern system adapts to these needs and automatically manages different types of employment relationships.
Basic user management
For permanent employees, the system takes care of the whole identity lifecycle. It automatically creates and updates access rights based on information from the HR system. When an employee changes roles within the organisation, the system updates the rights to reflect the new role and removes old, redundant rights.
Temporary and gig workers
The system ensures that the rights of temporary workers are valid for exactly the right period of time. The rights are automatically activated at the start of the employment relationship and expire at the end. Temporary workers can be assigned strictly limited access rights to specific systems for the duration of their shifts only.
Substitute and on-call shift management
The system offers a flexible but safe solution for sudden replacements and on-call shifts. Temporary access rights can be granted quickly according to pre-defined rules. The system monitors the use of these rights particularly closely and ensures that they expire on time.
Managing multiple employment relationships and varying roles
Traditional identity management systems often stumble in situations where the same person has multiple jobs or roles. This is commonplace in the social care sector – for example, an employee may work in both a health centre and an elderly care service at the same time, or combine clinical and administrative tasks. A modern system manages these situations intelligently.
The system combines a person’s different jobs and roles into a single identity, but keeps the associated access rights clearly separated. The user can easily switch between roles, and the system ensures that each role has exactly the suitable access rights.
External experts and consultants
For consultants and other external experts, IAM allows you to grant strictly limited access rights. These rights can be tied to a project’s duration or specific tasks, and their use is closely monitored.
Delegation of access management
When an external employee (e.g. a carer or doctor) comes on shift at short notice, access management causes more work and pain to an already busy in-house staff. Modern IAM allows this task to be delegated, for example, directly to a temporary employment agency: their supervisor can provide the minimum rights necessary to make work possible. More extensive rights and exceptions can be handled internally as time permits.
Crisis and emergency management
A modern IAM system also includes ready-made processes for crisis and emergency situations. In emergency situations, predefined access profiles can be activated quickly but in a controlled manner. All emergency actions are automatically documented for later review.
Cost-efficiency through automation
The tightening financial situation in the social services sector calls for more efficient operations in all areas. Modern identity management responds to this challenge by delivering significant savings, both directly and indirectly.
The IT support workload will be significantly reduced by automating routine access requests and password resets. Through the self-service portal, users can perform many of the tasks that previously occupied IT support themselves. This frees up IT staff time for development work and strategic projects.
The automation of processes is reflected throughout the organisation. New employees can commence productive work more quickly, front-line staff save time on access management, and organisational changes can be implemented more efficiently.
However, perhaps the most significant savings come from the prevention of security breaches. The system eliminates the risk of outdated access rights, automatically detects misuse, and significantly reduces the risk of data leakage. At the same time, it ensures regulatory compliance, protecting the organisation from the risk of fines and sanctions.
Regulatory compliance built-in
For example, the NIS2 Directive and the forthcoming cybersecurity law will require healthcare organisations to manage and control access rights more closely. Modern identity management makes compliance a natural part of an organisation’s operations, not a separate burden.
The system continuously monitors the appropriateness of access rights and automatically generates a comprehensive audit of all usage. It identifies anomalies in real time and enables a rapid response before damage can occur. With automated compliance verification, regulatory reports and audits no longer require separate efforts.
Towards a safer social welfare sector
The digitalisation of social services and healthcare is inexorably advancing, with increasing demands on both security and usability. Modern identity management plays a key role in this development. It not only protects customer and patient data and makes operations more efficient, but also frees up resources for what matters most – customer and patient care.
Identity management is not just an IT project, but a strategic choice that affects the whole organisation. It is therefore important to choose a partner who understands the specific requirements of the healthcare sector and can implement solutions that serve both the organisation and its employees.
Want to learn more about how modern identity management can improve your organisation’s efficiency and security? Contact the experts at Trivore and together we will identify the right solution for your needs: myynti@trivore.fi
Helsingin Sanomat article, “Hus doctor digs up data on former boss”: https://www.hs.fi/helsinki/art-2000010967705.html