Assessment of the Initial Adoption and Implementation of an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) System in a Nigerian Teaching Hospital

Abstract

All medical information related to patients can be displayed in a digital system known as the Electronic Medical
Record System. The system is an attempt by many medical facilities to design and implement a means of collecting,
storing, and presenting patients’ information at the point of care. EMRs are implemented worldwide because they
are recognized as a potential means of improving medical services' quality, safety, and efficiency. In Nigeria, the
Federal Ministry of Health has acknowledged the significance of EMRs for quality enhancement in healthcare
delivery and has directed all teaching hospitals to computerize their clinical processes. Based on this directive, some
teaching and national hospitals are now computerized. This paper aims to assess the initial adoption and
implementation of the EMR system in a Nigerian teaching hospital. The research design adopted in this paper is a
qualitative research design. Primary data were collected via participant observation and face-to-face interviews with
medical staff and information technology personnel who deployed the system. Also, the researchers reviewed
existing literature on adoption of electronic medical records systems and the pros and cons of adopting an electronic
medical records system. The tools used in developing the EMR system were JavaScript, C#, MSSQL server, Web
server (IIS), and Web browser is the program the user uses to view the web pages. The system has many modules
which can only be accessed by authorized members of staff based on the role they perform. The system comprises
of patient information module, Billing and payment module, Nurses module, Doctors module/clerking module,
Customizable Reporting/Quality reporting, clinical coding, NHIS module, Diagnoses, Diagnostic imaging system
(Radiology), E-prescription, and Laboratory information system. The system can still be improved upon through the
inclusion of more relevant modules for better clinical and patient experience.