Knowledge, attitude and perception of healthcare workers toward electronic medical record pre and post-adoption: A survey of Federal Medical Centre Bida, Nigeria

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Electronic medical record is a formal record of patients’ interactions with the healthcare providers,it is in an electronic format and it is digitally stored and shared among authorized persons for different users..The adoption ofEMR systems in Nigeria’s healthcare sector has been an ongoing journey, with many hospitals transitioning from paper-basedrecords to digital systems over the past decade. This study aimed at determining knowledge, attitude and perception ofelectronic medical record among healthcare workers pre and post-adoption, providing insights into how these factors haveevolved and their impact on clinical practice. Design/Methods: This research adopted a cross-sectional descriptive designwith a comparative component. The study used quantitative method to assess the KAP of healthcare workers pre- and post-EMR adoption. Results: The study reveals a high familiarity with EMR among participants, with 60.6% reporting being very familiar with the system however, only 44.1% of participants had received formal training, pointing to a significant gap incapacity-building initiatives. Attitudes of healthcare workers were largely positive. Post-adoption perceptions of EMR were generally favorable, with participants acknowledging its role in improving work efficiency and patient care however ,transition from paper to digital systems was seen as moderately challenging, with technical and workflow issues cited aspotential barriers. . Conclusion: The study demonstrates a predominantly positive reception of EMR systems among healthcare workers, but highlights areas for improvement in training, technical support, and implementation strategies.Addressing these areas can ensure the sustained success of EMR adoption and its contribution to better healthcare outcomes.Keywords: Attitude of healthcare providers; Electronic medical records; Health data quality; Health information technologies; Health outcome