Barriers to the Implementation of Electronic Medical Records in Northwest Ethiopia
1
Health Studies, University of South Africa, PRETORIA, South Africa
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A850
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Electronic medical records play a critical role in improving health system efficiency, quality of care, and continuity of services. Despite national digital health priorities, the implementation of electronic medical records in Ethiopia remains limited, particularly in resource-constrained settings. Understanding context-specific barriers from the perspective of health care workers is essential to inform sustainable scale-up efforts.
METHODS:
A phenomenological qualitative study was conducted in five health care facilities in Bahir Dar City, Northwest Ethiopia. Eight health care workers with at least two years of experience using electronic medical records were purposively selected from diverse professional backgrounds. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and translated into English. Thematic analysis was performed using ATLAS.ti software, guided by Colaizzi’s seven-step descriptive phenomenological approach.
RESULTS:
Analysis generated 24 codes, 10 subthemes, and four major themes. Three themes reflected barriers to implementation: software-related factors, system-related factors, and institutional operation-related factors. Key challenges included lack of system interoperability, limited comprehensiveness of clinical content, outdated software versions, system slowdowns, inadequate server capacity, frequent power interruptions, insufficient training, weak institutional ownership, and absence of incentives and rewards for users. One additional theme highlighted perceived benefits of electronic medical records, including improved information retrieval, reduced duplication of medical records, enhanced continuity of care, and time and space efficiency.
CONCLUSIONS:
The implementation of electronic medical records in Northwest Ethiopia is constrained by interconnected technical, infrastructural, and organizational barriers. Addressing these challenges requires coordinated efforts to strengthen system interoperability and comprehensiveness, ensure reliable infrastructure, provide continuous training, enhance institutional ownership, and introduce appropriate motivation mechanisms. These actions are essential to achieve sustainable electronic medical record adoption and optimize health system performance in low-resource settings.
Electronic medical records play a critical role in improving health system efficiency, quality of care, and continuity of services. Despite national digital health priorities, the implementation of electronic medical records in Ethiopia remains limited, particularly in resource-constrained settings. Understanding context-specific barriers from the perspective of health care workers is essential to inform sustainable scale-up efforts.
METHODS:
A phenomenological qualitative study was conducted in five health care facilities in Bahir Dar City, Northwest Ethiopia. Eight health care workers with at least two years of experience using electronic medical records were purposively selected from diverse professional backgrounds. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and translated into English. Thematic analysis was performed using ATLAS.ti software, guided by Colaizzi’s seven-step descriptive phenomenological approach.
RESULTS:
Analysis generated 24 codes, 10 subthemes, and four major themes. Three themes reflected barriers to implementation: software-related factors, system-related factors, and institutional operation-related factors. Key challenges included lack of system interoperability, limited comprehensiveness of clinical content, outdated software versions, system slowdowns, inadequate server capacity, frequent power interruptions, insufficient training, weak institutional ownership, and absence of incentives and rewards for users. One additional theme highlighted perceived benefits of electronic medical records, including improved information retrieval, reduced duplication of medical records, enhanced continuity of care, and time and space efficiency.
CONCLUSIONS:
The implementation of electronic medical records in Northwest Ethiopia is constrained by interconnected technical, infrastructural, and organizational barriers. Addressing these challenges requires coordinated efforts to strengthen system interoperability and comprehensiveness, ensure reliable infrastructure, provide continuous training, enhance institutional ownership, and introduce appropriate motivation mechanisms. These actions are essential to achieve sustainable electronic medical record adoption and optimize health system performance in low-resource settings.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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