Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Medical Informatics
Date Submitted: Feb 18, 2025
Date Accepted: Jul 30, 2025
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Embracing Digital Health: Factors Influencing Electronic Medical Records Adoption Among Healthcare Workers in Northwest Ethiopia
ABSTRACT
Background:
Although Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) play a vital role in strengthening the healthcare system by improving efficiency, data management, and patient care, their development in Ethiopia is still in its early stages. This slow progress is attributed to multiple challenges, including limited digital literacy and resistance to change among healthcare workers, alongside organisational factors.
Objective:
This study aims to determine the level of acceptance of the Electronic Medical Records system and describe contributing factors.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted at Healthcare Facilities in Bahir City, Northwestern Ethiopia. The study units were health workers in five health facilities that have implemented the Electronic Medical Record system were included in the study. The data entry and analysis were done with SPSS software. Descriptive statistics and Bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regression were done to determine factors associated with EMRs acceptance. x
Results:
Out of the 322 respondents, 256 (73%), with a 95% confidence interval of 67.4% to 78.2%, showed a good acceptance towards using electronic medical records (EMRs). Years of work experience, satisfaction with monthly income, owning a personal computer, attending EMR training sessions, finishing the foundational training on using an electronic health management information system, and system usability were all significant predictors of EMR acceptance, with a p-value of 0.05.
Conclusions:
Healthcare workers showed moderately positive acceptance of EMRs (4.87/7), valuing their usefulness (PU) over ease of use (PEOU) but lacking confidence in mastering the system. Key factors influencing acceptance included job experience, salary satisfaction, computer ownership, and training. Professionals with over ten years of experience were 14 times more likely to accept EMRs, while computer owners were 11 times more likely. EMR training increased acceptance fourfold, and DHIS2/eHMIS training tripled the likelihood of strong acceptance.
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