Steria implements a secure infrastructure for 300,000 Swedish healthcare professionals

The Malmo region in the south of Sweden was the first to start using an authentication and electronic signature system on 1 July 2003, allowing around 2,000 agents to produce electronic invoices. This was the first stage in Sterias implementation of a national-scale electronic certification infrastructure for healthcare services. The project aims to secure information management in the healthcare chain with the help of information encryption systems (PKI) and smart cards. It is thus possible to communicate confidential information between the different healthcare providers, irrespective of organisational boundaries (local governments, county councils, private healthcare providers, and so on). Physicians can, for example, access patient information and other documentation regardless of where the patient has previously been treated. Ensuring secure exchanges for 300,000 healthcare professionals Healthcare systems have much to gain from the standardised management of security solutions such as secure login, electronic signatures, encryption and anti-intrusion systems. That is why Carelink called upon Steria to install encrypted systems and provide electronic ID cards to some 300,000 people working in the healthcare sector. It will thus be possible to send digital x-rays to experts in another part of the country, who will then be able to return electronically signed medical opinions. Steria is also responsible for distributing encryption certificates issued by the Certification Authorities (AC) throughout Sweden. Pilot phase in the south of Sweden (Malmo region) The solution, which allows 2,000 agents to use electronic invoices, is based on smart card identification (EID cards) with a citizen certificate identifying the cardholder.