CHALLENGES AND PROSPECT OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS MANAGEMENT PRACTICE IN THE HOSPITALS IN NIGERIA (A CASE STUDY OF UCH IBADAN OYO STATE)

ABSTRACT The rapid advance of electronic health record in healthcare setting hat accentuated the important of ntegration practices. This matter is made worse by the regulatory gap between implementing new and emerging lectronic health record and managing the security risk the latter represents other problems include poor data wality and stagmentation, budgetary constraints, irreconcilable systems architecture, a history of incompatible kata standards, confusing privacy jurisdictions and a lack of access to proven evaluation results. This research argues that it is of crucial important that technology innovation in health is associated with the incorporation of electronic health record for establishing secure health record integration . The questionnaire was administered directly to the respondents by the researcher and researcher assistant in each of the medical institution. Instructions were given on how to fill the questionnaire and they were assured of confidential of the response. Completed copies of questionnaires were collected immediately after filling from the respondents. The analysis of mechanism put in place for use of electronic health in health records management in UCH, Ibadan revealed that care in handling hospital health records and avoidance of water contact/ bad weather are major mechanism employed in the hospital. The major challenges faced in use of electronic health record in health records management in surveyed hospital are poor finding, incedequate computer and other electronic health record device, poor skill in computing, harsh environmental conditions, lack of preservation and conservation policy. The result showed that more than half (66%) were involved in the decision to introduce the electronic health records, more (50%) of the respondents have an influence on how the system should work before it was been Introduced. Many (46%) respondent's suggestions were followed in the design and implementation of the system. Many (60%) of respondents receive training on the electronic health record before it implementation. Many (70%) of respondents were training adequately for use of electronic health record. Also, many (68%) of respondents do hink the Implementation of the electronic health record was well planned.Use of electronic health record in health records management is an integral part of medical/healthcare service delivery as it goes a long way in enhancing better service delivery as well as serving as a basis for following patient health trend over time. It also serves as a basis for effecting referral service. Hence effort should be made jo ensure regular presentation and management of records in medical centers/hospital.