Download PDF
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Avicenna J Med 2015; 05(01): 1-5
DOI: 10.4103/2231-0770.148499
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Physicians′ perception about electronic medical record system in Makkah Region, Saudi Arabia

Hani Abdulsattar Shaker
Directorate General of Health Affairs Makkah Region, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
,
Mian Usman Farooq
Directorate General of Health Affairs Makkah Region, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
,
Khalid Obeid Dhafar
Directorate General of Health Affairs Makkah Region, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
› Author Affiliations
› Further Information
  PDF Download Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Objectives: The study was done to determine the physicians′ perception about electronic medical record system (EMRS) in the context of its productivity in order to improve its functionality and advantages. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional survey was performed from July to August 2009 with structured questionnaire of 15 closed-ended questions with five points Likert scaling starting from strongly disagree to strongly agree as 1-5, reflecting the perception of physicians about EMRS. The physicians of the Makkah region working in six different hospitals were selected. "Positive" response means if percent of responses were rated 4 or 5 (agree/strongly agree), "neutral" if rated 3, and negative if rated 1 or 2 (strongly disagree/disagree). Descriptive data analysis techniques were used. Results: We selected 317 completed questionnaires. Majority of subjects were from King Fahd Hospital, Jeddah (83, 26.3%), residents (147, 46.4%), male (200,63.1%), expatriates (207, 65%), and age group 36-45 years (133, 42%) were dominant. The stem regarding importance of computers for practicing medicine and EMRS to improve quality of practice was appreciated by majority, that is, 77.7 and 71.2%, respectively. However, "It does not disrupt the workflow" (35.1%) and "EMRS is comfortable while entering the data instead of writing" (34.8%) were appreciated negatively. Consultants (53.9%), male (53.4%), expatriates (56.7%), physicians of King Abdul Aziz Hospital, Ta′if (56.9%), and age group of 46-55 years (53.8%) appreciated EMRS positively. Overall perception of EMRS was found positive by 52.8%. Conclusion: Majority appreciated the EMRS, but specific concerns about its usage easiness and workflow disturbance were opposed by them also.

Keywords

Computer - cross-sectional survey - electronic medical record system - physicians


Publication History

Article published online:
09 August 2021

© 2015. Syrian American Medical Society. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Private Ltd.
A-12, Second Floor, Sector -2, NOIDA -201301, India

 

  • References

  • 1 Al-Otaibi FS. Towards an electronic health record in kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Paper presented at: Fourth regional conference on e-Health. 2005. (updated 2005). Available Online from: http://www.emro.who.int/his/ehealth/Presentations/Iran04/SaudiArabia.pps. [Last cited on 2009 Apr 13].
  • 2 SAMIRAD [Home page on internet]. Saudi Arabia. Makkah region is most populated in Saudi Arabia. (updated 2009). Available from: http://www.saudinf.com/main/y7733.htm [Last cited on 2009 Aug 29].
  • 3 Alyemeni M. Five Year Program to Transform Healthcare Delivery in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia MOH [power point presentation on internet]. Available from: http://www.salud-e.cl/wps/wcm/connect/5fd750c2-349f-4f3f-badd-1d8fdb0a5593/saudi+arabia+e-health+strategy.pdf?MOD=AJPERES and CACHEID=5fd750c2-349f-4f3f-badd-1d8fdb0a5593. [Last cited on 2013 Aug 01].
  • 4 Bah S, Alharthi H, El Mahalli AA, Jabali A, Al-Qahtani M, Al-kahtani N. Annual survey on the level and extent of usage of electronic health records in government-related hospitals in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. Perspect Health Inf Manag 2011;8:1b.
  • 5 Al-Mujaini A, Al-Farsi Y, Al-Maniri A, Ganesh A. Satisfaction and perceived quality of an electronic medical record system in a tertiary hospital in Oman. Oman Med J 2011;26:324-8.
  • 6 Top M, Gider O. Nurses′ views on electronic medical records (EMR) in Turkey: An analysis according to use, quality and user satisfaction. J Med Syst 2012;36:1979-88.
  • 7 Galimany Masclans J, Garrido Aguilar E, Roca Roger M, Girbau García MR. New technologies and nursing. Use and perception of primary health care nurses about electronic health record. Rev Enferm 2012;35:42-5.
  • 8 Bleich HL, Slack WV. Reflections on electronic medical records: When doctors will use them and when they will not. Int J Med Inform 2010;79:1-4.
  • 9 Nour El Din MM. Physicians′ use of and attitudes toward electronic medical record system implemented at a teaching hospital in Saudi Arabia. J Egypt Public Health Assoc 2007;82:347-64.
  • 10 Darr A, Harrison M, Shakked L, Shalom N. Physicians′ and nurses′ reactions to electronic medical records systems. J Health Organ Manage 2003;17:349-59.
  • 11 Laerum H, Ellingsen G, Faxvaag A. Doctors′ use of electronic medical records systems in hospital: Cross sectional survey. Br Med J 2001;323:1344-8.
  • 12 Fraser HS, Biondich P, Moodley D, Choi S, Mamlin BW, Szolovits P. Implementing electronic medical record systems in developing countries. Inform Prim Care 2005;13:83-95.