KI and Karolinska University Hospital to launch joint delivery platform for health data

“The release of data for research purposes has a long history, but we have lacked efficient infrastructure to support it. We now have a shared platform where we can share data in a time-efficient and secure way between the organisations – we are very pleased that we have managed to achieve this,” says Olof Akre, director of research, education and innovation at Karolinska University Hospital.

Focus on security and usability

A central element of the initiative has been to ensure that research data is handled in accordance with applicable regulations and guidelines. The delivery platform offers features including access control, encryption, version management and activity logging, making it possible to track how data is used and shared.

The solution has also been designed to integrate with existing identity and login systems at Karolinska University Hospital and Karolinska Institutet. This reduces the administrative burden on users and strengthens security.

“Research data is often both sensitive and valuable. It has therefore been important to create an environment in which the organisations feel confident that information is handled correctly, whilst researchers have a smooth workflow,” explains Karin Dahlman-Wright, director of research infrastructure at Karolinska Institutet.

Built on open source

The delivery platform is built on open-source software, which means that its operation and development are not dependent on an external party. This gives greater control over the system and the data it handles. Using open-source software also makes it easy to adapt and further develop the platform both within and outside the hospital.

The first step in a larger initiative

The hope is that the platform can eventually be used across the whole of Region Stockholm and serve as a model for collaboration with other organisations.

“Once the delivery platform and the process between KI and Karolinska University Hospital are well established, we hope the same solution can be used regionally and in collaboration with other organisations – for example, other universities or regions. We will then have put one of the pieces in place that is needed for more efficient administration and for increasing the pace of clinical research,” says Olof Akre.