1.1 Introduction
Electronic health records (EHRs) are defined as an electronic version of a patient’s medical history including key administrative clinical data relevant to that person’s care and have emerged as a promising tool to improve health care quality (Bjarnadottir, et al., 2017). Research indicates that EHRs can improve documentation, thereby increasing the accuracy and completeness of patient data. This improves health care providers’ ability to appropriately diagnose and treat their patients. Furthermore, EHRs can facilitate timely and accurate patient risk assessments and quality measurements, allowing for more prompt intervention as needed. Finally, many EHRs include tools that support clinical judgment and decision making, as well as care coordination and health information exchange (Bowles, Dykes, & Demiris, 2016).
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
In the past few decades, the healthcare field has had an increasingly global technological advancement. One prime example of this is the Electronic Health Record (EHR). It is an essential platform that evolved rapidly over a short period of time to serve as a way to use and communicate health information (Garcia, 2020). It is used all around the world as a way to communicate health information across various health care professionals, track a patient’s progress, and trend laboratory results to ultimately enhance patient outcomes through safety and quality of care (Garcia, 2020). Serving as a more secure and faster alternative to the traditional handwritten paper charts, the electronic health record is one of the most important advancements in technology with several positive, and some negative, outcomes (Garcia, 2020).
Arries and Newman, (2008) define service delivery as the consistent and accurate services provided to patients, it is the performance of the health personnel, and the motivation and assurance a patient derive from a health care treatment. Service delivery is a multiphase interactive action which coincides with the dimensions of excellence, assurance of competence, attentiveness, dissemination of information by staff and flexible helpfulness that add valuable meaning to the users.
Johnston and clark (2005), state that service delivery is all about the customer service and effectiveness. Effectiveness in customer service implies doing the right things which is measured using indicators like customer satisfaction, this can be seen or is evident in speed, service quality, timing and reactions. A service becomes effective when it is valid to its users or consumers, it is also noticed that whenever service providers meet and exceed their customer’s expectations, then the customer is satisfied. Service delivery is a component of a business or any organization which defines the interactions that exist between service providers and clients where the providers offers a service whether it is in form of information or a task and the clients finds value or losses value as a result. Therefore, service delivery is an a continuous act of providing or rendering services to customers, where the customers are either satisfied or dissatisfied with the services rendered, this can be evident in their reactions or expressions.
Pyrene (2015), says that records management is vital to service delivery within any organization and any record that is misfiled or lost is likely to delay the service delivery and hence dent the image of the service provider. In this view, Alexander and Harding (2003) also noted that hospitals in most countries remain an important source of critical health care services, providing both basic and advanced care for the people. Hospitals are often the provider of last resort for those who are critically ill and poor.
Asunmo and Yaya (2016), define records as recorded information, irrespective of form or medium, received or created and maintained by establishments in pursuance of their legal or statutory obligations or record keeping of any kind. Records could comprise of paper, books, computer print-out and any other machine readable records. They also noted that efficient and effective records management must begin with the establishment and implementation of records management program.
Electronic health records management involves the management of all patients’ records which are stored electronically or in a digital format. They are repositories of information that concerns the health status of individuals the information contained in these records or patients file have a full or complete information about the client’s health history which includes allergies, surgeries, treatments etc., (Mathai, Shiratudin and Sohel, 2017).
Ojo and Popoola,(2015) define electronic health information management system as a massive and integrated information system that supports the comprehensive information requirements of patient, including clinical ancillary and even financial management, which could be seen as only one instance of a holistic health information system. Furthermore, they stated that electronic health information management system can or will bring about an increase in digitization which makes the management of comprehensive medical records from patient’s information to diagnostic care and prescription less stressful and straight forward process.
Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to examine the Attitude of Health Record Officers towards the use of Electronics System in Managing Patients Health Records.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that the negative attitudes of health records officers towards the use of electronic system in the management of patients information has been in existence since the innovation of electronic health information management system, and this was as a result of health records officers not have undergone computer practical training in course of their programmed as Health Information Management (HIM) Personnel.
It was also discovered that health information managers are not abreast of the electronic systems and have not availed themselves with computer training programmed. Moreover, negative attitudes of health record officers towards enriching their knowledge in the electronic system of patient’s information management have been the major causes of a patient not receiving quality and efficient care from health care providers.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to examine the Attitude of Health Record Officers towards the use of Electronics System in Managing Patients Health Records using Amaku Teaching Hospital Awka as a case study. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To identify the socio-demographic characteristics of respondents;
- To find out if the trained health records officers practice electronic patients health records management;
- To identify the level of training received by health records officers on electronic health records management;
- To identify the factors that encourage or discourages them from using electronic system; and
- To ascertain the attitudes of health records officers towards the use of the electronic systems in the managing of patients information.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Are there any factor influencing electronic health record management practices on service delivery by employee of Amaku Teaching Hospital Awka?
- Do health records officers have knowledge of electronic patient’s health records management?
- Do health records officers train towards electronic patient health records management?
- What are the health records officer’s attitudes towards electronic patient’s health records management?
- What are the factors that led to these negative attitudes of health record officers toward the use of the electronic systems in managing patient’s health information?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: There will be no significant difference between the educational attainments of the respondents and the use of an electronic system for the patient’s health information management.
- H1: There will be significant difference between the educational attainments of the respondents and the use of an electronic system for the patient’s health information management.
Hypothesis Two
- H0: There will be no significant difference between the age of health records officers and the use of electronic systems.
- H1: There will be significant difference between the age of health records officers and the use of electronic systems.
Hypothesis Three
- H0: There will be no significant difference between the sex of the respondents and the use of electronic systems
- H1: There will be significant difference between the sex of the respondents and the use of electronic systems
1.7 Significance of Study
This research work would be of great importance to patients, health records officers, the government, non-governmental organizations with the following benefits to be derived. It will also enlighten and educate the reader on the attitudes of health records officers towards the use of electronic systems of managing patients’ information.
It will also bring to limelight the thought and feelings of health officers towards electronic systems of managing patient’s information. This research will further expose the negative practice and attitude of health records officers towards electronic system of managing patient’s information.
Finally, the ideas that would be suggested and recommended in this project would definitely stimulate individuals, government and non-governmental special programs and seminars on the attitude of health records officers towards electronic systems of managing patient’s information.
1.8 Scope of Study
The scope of the research is focused on the Attitude of Health Record Officers towards the use of Electronics System in Managing Patients Health Records using Amaku Teaching Hospital Awka as a case study.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
1.10 Definition of Terms
Attitude: It is the way that you behave toward somehow you think and feel either for good or bad.
Electronic: It is a device that is operating with components such as microchips and transistors that control and direct electronic currents.
Health: According to world health organization (who) is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being of an individual not merely absence from disease but infertility.
System: It is a set of things working together as parts of a mechanism or an interconnecting network, and a complete whole.
Information: It is a fact provided or learned about some things or someone or it is conveyed that represented by a particular arrangement of things.
