ATTITUDE OF HEALTH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS ON ELECTRONIC CODING AND DATA DOCUMENTATION FOR QUALITY HEALTH CARE DELIVERY

First and foremost, I give all glory to God Almighty for His grace, wisdom, and strength that enabled me to successfully complete this project. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my project supervisor, Mr. Oyebanji Watchman, for his guidance, support, and valuable contributions throughout the course of this work. His encouragement and constructive feedback were instrumental to the success of this project. I also extend my heartfelt appreciation to my Head of Department, Mrs. Adegbite C.J, for her leadership and for providing an enabling academic environment that made this project possible. Special thanks to my loving parents, Mr. and Mrs. Adetuwo, for their unwavering support, prayers, and sacrifices throughout my academic journey. Your love and belief in me have been my greatest motivation. Finally, I acknowledge my friends and colleagues who contributed in one way or the other during this process. Your support means a lot to me. v ABSTRACT This study investigates the attitude of Health Information Management (HIM) professionals towards electronic coding and data documentation for quality health care delivery, using UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Osun State as a case study. The importance of electronic coding and accurate data documentation in modern health care cannot be overemphasized, as it plays a vital role in improving patient care, hospital administration, and clinical decision-making processes. The study seeks to assess the level of awareness, adoption, and perceived benefits of electronic documentation among HIM professionals. A descriptive survey design was employed for the research, and structured questionnaires were distributed to selected HIM professionals within the hospital. The data collected focused on the professionals’ familiarity with electronic systems, their willingness to adopt such systems, and the challenges they face in the process. Analysis of the responses provided insight into the extent to which electronic health information systems have been embraced and the factors influencing their attitude towards their usage. The findings reveal that while the majority of HIM professionals acknowledge the advantages of electronic coding and documentation, such as enhanced accuracy, faster data retrieval, and improved patient management, several challenges persist. These include lack of proper training, fear of system failure, technical complexities, and resistance to technological change. Such challenges have contributed to varying degrees of acceptance among the professionals. Based on the study, it is recommended that continuous professional training, provision of adequate technological infrastructure, and institutional support are necessary to improve the attitude and competence of HIM professionals towards electronic documentation. A well-structured implementation strategy and consistent evaluation would also ensure that electronic health information systems are fully utilized to achieve optimal health care delivery