Study of Utilization of Electronic Medical Records in Health Service Provision at the HIV Comprehensive Care Centers in Kiambu County, Kenya

Abstract

An electronic medical record system (EMR) is a digital record of health-related data for individual patients, maintained by authorized providers. Complete and timely information is crucial for informing public health decisions and improving health service delivery, particularly for HIV/AIDS. This study assessed the utilization of EMR systems in HIV comprehensive care centers in Kiambu County, Kenya. Specifically, it examined the association and predictive influence of infrastructure, technical factors, and perceived usefulness on EMR utilization. The research adopted a descriptive cross-sectional design and applied stratified random sampling to categorize 38 health facilities based on their level of care. A sample size of 186 participants was proportionally allocated to the various strata, and data was collected through questionnaires. Analysis using SPSS version 25.0 involved Chi-square tests to examine associations between variables and logistic regression analysis to assess predictive influences. The results revealed that infrastructure (χ²=24.23, p<0.05), technical factors (χ²=62.93, p<0.05), and perceived usefulness (χ²=38.55, p<0.05) had significant associations with EMR utilization and had positive predictive influences. The study concluded that upscaling EMR utilization in HIV care clinics requires a multifaceted approach. It recommended that the County Government of Kiambu implement comprehensive training programs for EMR users, increase funding for EMR infrastructure, strengthen routine maintenance of ICT equipment, and engage ICT staff at the facility level to provide on-site support and troubleshoot the systems.