The Integration and Appraisal of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) in Cotabato Regional and Medical Center

• Main Authors: Chan, Jeffrey Harold C., Manansala, Aerelle Myeica S., Mojares, Redj Nicole L.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2021
• Subjects: electronic medical records; ehealth; structure-process-output assessment, Cotabato Regional and Medical Center; , Philippine healthcare system
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/conf_shsrescon/2021/paper_fnh/9; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/conf_shsrescon/article/1622/viewcontent/FNH_The_Integration_and_Appraisal_of_Electronic_Medical_Records__EMR_.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

This research investigates the adoption, implementation, and overall satisfaction of electronic medical records (EMR) in the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC). A purposive sampling method was utilized in the recruitment of the participants after getting clearance from its ethical review board. This study engaged 16 participants from CRMC: administrators, health personnel, and non-health personnel. The participants responded in a google survey form with structured and unstructured items that centered on the what, when, how, and why of the adoption of the implementation of the EMR and their overall satisfaction. EMR adoption in CRMC is associated with the mandate from the Department of Health’s initiative to modernize the health care system in the Philippines. The hospital’s top administration initiated the adoption with consultations from the different stakeholders in the hospital. Several consultations were conducted, and training of both healthcare and nonhealthcare personnel were conducted to prepare the hospital system. Despite these efforts, several issues confronted the efficient implementation of EMR in the recording, archiving, and retrieval of the medical records which include: internet connectivity, lack of skilled manpower to handle the EMR system, financing issues, and preference of other personnel to the “manual process” of doing things. Interestingly, the level of overall satisfaction on the implementation of EMR remains to be high. Improved infrastructure, more training, and recruitment of skilled staff are recommended to optimize the utilization of EMR.