Assessing Managers and Staff Perceptions of the Benefits of Implementing an Electronic Health Record (EHR) System: A Case Study of the Ghana Atomic and Energy Commission Clinic.
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Date
2018-07
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Publisher
University of Ghana
Abstract
Health Information Technologies such as Electronic Health Records (EHRs) is considered by
health care professionals, consumers and policy makers to be fundamental in transforming the
health care industry. Given the complex nature of the health care industry, the limitations of
using paper-based medical records are obvious, hence a transition of traditional paper-based
medical records to electronic health recording system. EHR is known to reduce loads of medical
records keeping, quality of care and improved health workers productivity and clients-provider
interaction. The situation was not different at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission Clinic
(GAECC) where this study was conducted after three (3) years of implementing an EHR. The
study assessed managers and staffs‘ perception on the expected benefits, realized benefits and the
challenges encountered during and after implementing the EHR.
Quantitative method was used to achieve the objectives which used structured questionnaire as
the main data gathering tool. Respondents were selected based on those who had access or used
the EHR system. The level of perception for benefits was assessed based on the following
indicators, Quality of care, Evidence-based & patient safety, Communication and coordination of
care, Efficiency, Patient experience and involvement in care and Usefulness of system.
Descriptive univariate analysis was used to describe the demographic characteristics of the
respondents. Whereas t-test and Oneway Anova was done to determine the difference between
the perception of expected benefits and the benefits that were realized after all the dependent
variables were rated and the average means of all created composite variables were calculated.
The results showed that staff stakeholders had high perceptions of EHR to yield benefits like
Quality of Care, Communication, Co-ordination of care, Efficiency and Patient Experience and
Involvement.
Description
MSc.
Keywords
Electronic Health Record, Ghana Atomic, Energy Commission Clinic