Effect of Technical Factors in the Uptake of EMRs in the Inpatient Department in Public Health Facilities in Kiambu County

The management of the hardcopy inpatient information in public healthcare facilities in Kenya has proved to be an uphill task. That is informed by the fact that these types of records are more vulnerable as compared to electronic medical records. Electronic medical records are legal patient records that are created and stored in a digital format in health. Hardcopy medical records are prone to damage through wear and tear, fires, and getting lost because of misplacement. That is not the case with electronic medical records, which are more secure because they have a backup system and can be easily retrieved when needed. This difficulty in the utilization of hardcopy medical records necessitates the utilization of electronic medical records. The study analysed the effect of technical factors on the uptake of electronic medical records in the inpatient department in public health facilities in Kiambu County. The study adopted a descriptive research design. A sample of 85 respondents was selected through simple random sampling. The respondents were doctors, hospital administrators, clinicians, and nurses. Primary data was collected through the issuance of questionnaires. Data were analysed through descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple regression analysis. Study findings were presented in figures and tables. Study findings indicate a positive and significant association between technical on the uptake of inpatient electronic records management in PHF in Kiambu County. The study suggested that there is a need for enhancement of the level of communication among all stakeholders. Organizations should have a budgetary allocation, regular human capacity building, senior management support, and clarity of strategic plan implementation to optimize the uptake of electronic medical records in public health facilities in Kiambu County. Further, there need for sensitization on the use of electronic medical records to optimize organizational efficiency and minimize medical errors. Further, there is a need for the development of strategies aimed at influencing EMR positively among the utilization of inpatients, clinical officers, and medical officers in public health facilities