Awareness and Use of Electronic Health Records Management Among Health Workers for Administrative Effectiveness in Eku Baptist Government Hospital, Eku Delta State
Chapter One
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
BROAD OBJECTIVE
The broad objective of this study is examine the awareness and use of electronic records management among health workers for administrative effectiveness in Eku Baptist Government Hospital, Eku Delta State.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
This project is set:
- To assess the effectiveness of electronic records management at the Eku Baptist Government Hospital, Eku Delta State.
- To examine the level of awareness of electronic records management awareness among the staff of Eku Baptist Government Hospital, Eku Delta State in using electronic records.
- To determine the level of administrative effectiveness
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Introduction
This chapter presents the review of related literature on the awareness and use of electronic health records management among health workers for administrative effectiveness in Eku Baptist Government Hospital, Eku Delta State. Views and opinions of other authors are as follows.
Electronic Health Records Management
Electronic records management is a subdivision of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), which involves the sophisticated automated method of management of official records in organisations (Ile & Ojowhoh, 2020). Electronic records management system was said by the management of automated and non-electronic records using computer hardware and software (Duranti, 2010). Electronic records system involves “the manufacture, usage, preservation, protection and disposal of automatedly established records for business and evidence-based activities” (Marutha, 2011).
Hence business owners tend to consider the use of electronic records management because of developments in automated office procedures. To denial people of unauthorised usage, modification, theft, or physical destruction to automated data, electronic management protection practices are important to limit user licence to computer systems to achieving control over the information stored on automated records (Ile & Ojowhoh, 2020).
Electronic Health Record continued to gain wide acceptance in Nigeria after the federal government declared it a key measure to facilitate effective and timeless patient management in 2001 (Adeleke, Erinle, Ndana, Anamah, Ogundele & Aliyu, 2014). Electronic health record (EHR) otherwise known as an electronic medical record (EMR), refers to the “systematized collection of patient and population electronically-stored health information in a digital format” (Gunter & Terry, 2005). An individual health record refers to the electronic record of a person’s health information that is in conformation with national standards and guidelines but is under the control of the individual (HealthIT. gov, 2019; Menachemi & Collum, 2011).
The pooled set of information can be transmitted through different hospital settings with network-connected, enterprise-wide information systems or other information networks and exchanges. The information collected is made up of an array of sociodemographics, health history, drug and allergies, vaccination status, results of laboratory test, radiogram, vital signs, billing information (Hamilton et al., 2014; Lupton, 2014), genetic testing results, sexual orientation, psychological details, accumulated hospital visitations records, radiology reports, allergies etc. (Esther, Jantan, Abiodun, Arshad, Dada & Emmanuel, 2020).
Concept of Electronic Health Information System
In today’s healthcare service delivery, health information is fundamental to continually monitor and appraise health status, to ensure and continually boost the quality of medical care programs and services (WHO, 2015a). Globally, healthcare services have moved from the curative to preventive care system, from precise intervention to a broad-based and inclusive approach, from an integrated to decentralised healthcare system (Nwankwo & Sambo, 2018). This has compelled the need for reformation of uneven health information systems into an all-inclusive but single health information management system (WHO, 2015b). Electronic health is perceived as a general term that denotes any types of digital information associated with and important to healthcare delivery. It is the integration of information supported equipment to aid every aspect of medical care services, literature, research, surveillance, education and knowledge (Umar, 2015). It is also described as an enormous integrated system that aids the wide-ranging information requirement of medical facilities in the areas of patient, ancillary, clinical and financial management; which can also be perceived as a holistic healthcare information system, designed to store, operate and retrieve administrative and clinical information (Ojo & Popoola, 2015).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
This chapter is concerned with the presentation of method used in this study to accomplish its purpose on “awareness and use of electronic health records management among health workers for administrative effectiveness in Eku Baptist Government Hospital, Eku Delta State”. The following areas were taken into consideration, design of the study, area of the study, population of the study, sample size and sampling techniques, research instrument, validation of research instrument, reliability of research instrument, administration of the instrument and method of data analysis.
Research Design
This study adopted survey research design. According to Ekott & Nseyen (2006), a survey research is one in which a group of people or items is studied by collecting and analyzing data from only a few people or items considered to be representative of the entire group. Thus, in this study, the researcher collected data from the respondents in the final year students in the Department of Business Education, University of Lagos.
Area of the Study
This study is limited to all the selected healthcare workers in Eku Baptist Government Hospital, Eku Delta State and upon the subject of the subject which is the awareness and use of electronic health records management among health workers for administrative effectiveness in Eku Baptist Government Hospital, Eku Delta State.
Population of the Study
The population of the study consisted of all the selected healthcare workers in Eku Baptist Government Hospital, Eku Delta State which was about 78 healthcare workers. Emphasis was placed on staff knowledge and information concerning the subject of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA
INTRODUCTION
This chapter entails the presentation of data analysis and interpretation of data collected. The data collected was through the use of questionnaire while the analysis was based on research questions and research hypothesis stated earlier in chapter one for this research.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Introduction
This chapter presents the summary, conclusion and recommendations for further studies based on the findings of this study.
Summary of the Findings
This study was carried out to examine the level of awareness and use of electronic health records management among health workers for administrative effectiveness in Eku Baptist Government Hospital, Eku Delta State. To achieve this objective, three research questions and one research hypothesis were formulated to guide this study. A structured questionnaire was used as the major instruments to obtained data from 78 selected healthcare workers in Eku Baptist Government Hospital, Eku Delta State. Out of this number, 50(64.1%) copies of questionnaire were appropriately completed and returned to the researcher while 28(35.9%) copies of questionnaire were appropriately completed and returned for data analysis.
The data collected from the respondents were analyzed using simple percentage and tables to analyze the research questions while Chi-square statistical tool was employ to the research hypothesis. The findings revealed that there is a significant effect of awareness of electronic health records management on administrative effectiveness among Eku Baptist Government Hospital staff.
Conclusion
Based on the findings of this study and subsequent recommendations, it is concluded that prompt access to patients’ medical records through electronic health information system platform is highly essential in medical care decisions to achieve efficient care delivery within health facilities, reduces the risk of treatment errors decreases patient waiting time and reduces medical errors, enhances timely communication among practitioners, enhances healthcare service delivery and protects information from unauthorised personnel.
Recommendations
Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations were made:
- The hospital management and government at various levels should prioritise the provision of necessary infrastructure in the health capital budget to support the adoption and implementation of the electronic health information system and electronic medical records management.
- Electronic file locator system for effective filing of health records should also be designed to ease physical carrying of files.
- There should be an engagement of more professional hands in the handling of health information and patient related information in the hospital. Electronic appointment and reminder systems should also be included and used in the hospital.
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