Adoption and Implementation of Electronic Medical Records in Nigerian Public Hospitals: A One-Year Outcome Evaluation

Abstract

Electronic medical records (EMRs) have been implemented in various healthcare settings to improve patient care and administrative efficiency. However, their adoption and implementation in sub-Saharan African public hospitals are often challenging due to cultural, technological, and infrastructural barriers. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including quantitative surveys to assess EMR usage patterns among healthcare providers and qualitative interviews to gather insights from hospital managers. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics for quantitative results and thematic analysis for qualitative findings. In the one-year period post-implementation, 72% of surveyed clinicians reported increased efficiency in patient record management, while 45% noted improved data accuracy, although there was a notable drop-off in user engagement with EMR features after six months. Despite initial improvements, sustained usage and full benefits are yet to be realised. Key challenges include technological inadequacies and resistance to change among healthcare staff. Further training programmes should be developed for staff to enhance their familiarity with the new system, while investments in hardware upgrades must also be considered to address current technical limitations. Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p_i)=\beta_0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.

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