Challenges and Opportunities in the Utilization of Electronic Medical Record Systems in Selected Hospitals in Meru County
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Abstract
The deployment of Electronic Medical Record Systems (EMRs) has been on the rise in Kenya. Although there has been an increasing adoption of these systems in the country, quite a few studies have been conducted in Kenya to investigate utilization of Electronic Medical Record Systems (EMRs) among healthcare workers in facilities that have deployed such systems. The present study sought to address the challenge of inadequate knowledge regarding healthcare workers' EMR utilization rates and the challenges that they face when utilizing these systems in facilities where they have been adopted in Meru County, Kenya. The study adopted a mixed-methods approach and three hospitals in Meru County were selected for study. Thirty respondents, comprising nurses, clinical officers and doctors from the three selected hospitals, were interviewed to provide data. Quantitative data was analyzed using frequency statistics, while qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis and NVivo qualitative data analysis software. The findings revealed high rate of utilization of EMRs due to the mandatory requirements, improvement in patient outcomes and increased efficiency. However, network failure and system breakdown were reported to be key challenges in utilization of EMRs. The study recommends proper training of healthcare workers on use of EMRs and incorporation of enhanced EMRs security systems. The systems should also be upgraded frequently.
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