Implementing electronic health system in Nigeria: perspective assessment in a specialist hospital

Abstract

Background: Perspectives on the pioneering work of Electronic Health Recording (EHR) system in Nigeria was studied. Objectives: To determine health workers perception, challenges, motivation and satisfaction with EHR. Methodology: This was a descriptive cross sectional study using structured questionnaire to assess health workers perspec- tive on EHR system at Kogi State Specialist Hospital. Results: A total of 35 consenting health workers with an mean age of 39.4(± 7.6) years using EHR were assessed. The mean daily work hour was 8.0(± 2.4 hours) and median client load per participant was 20 daily. On perceptions, 74.3%, 52.9%, 45.5% and 60.0% were comfortable, well-motivated, satisfied and competent with EHR. The advantages were re- duction in transcription cost (88.5%), Paper work (97.1%), administrative cost (91.4%), errors (82.9%) and it captures, provides more services including timely access and ease research in 94.3%, 74.3%, 94.3% and 82.9% respectively. Challenges were threat to patient privacy, poor internet, information overload, power outages, incomplete and inac- curate information in 17.0%, 65.7%, 31.5%, 62.9%, 37.1% and 22.9% respectively. Conclusion: Health workers were comfortable and satisfied with EHR and it eased their work.Scaling up EHR would reduce administrative cost, transcription errors and paper works to mitigate poor quality data from Nigeria a great contributor to global morbidities/mortalities Keywords: Electronic health records; perception; Kogi state; Nigeria.