Factors to improve data quality of electronic medical records
- Authors: Makeleni, Noloyiso Anele
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Electronic records , Medical records -- Management , Medical records -- Data processing
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/19881 , vital:43618
- Description: Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems have been identified as having the potential to improve health care and allow the health care sector to reap a number of benefits when implemented successfully. These benefits include enabling quick and easy access to patient files and also reducing the problem of misplaced or lost patient files. Such EMRs allow for patient records to be up to date, provided that health care practitioners capture standard and consistent data in the relevant fields. In Africa, there are only a few countries that have successfully implemented EMR systems due to social and technological challenges. Social factors include lack of computer skilled health workers, lack of adequate training, physician’s resistance to shift from using paper records to electronic records, either due to complex systems or the fear of being replaced by the systems. On the other hand, the technological factors include lack of Information Technology (IT) and clinical resources, lack of internet access, financial barriers to purchase the necessary technological hardware and implementation costs. A few South African health care institutions have implemented EMR systems, however, most of the public health care facilities still make use of a manual system to capture patient information. In the case where public health care facilities do have an EMR system implemented, there are problems with the consistency of the data that is captured. The inconsistency is caused by the different understandings that the health care professionals have regarding the importance of capturing the necessary information that is collected at various points in health care institutions, thus affecting data quality. For the successful implementation and use of EMR systems, everything within the health care organisation should be integrated. In other words, the steering committee and workgroup, the equipment, the product, the processes, the system and the facility design and construction should be incorporated to work together. The common problems identified in literature regarding data quality in EMRs include misspelled words, inconsistent word strings, inaccurate information entered on the record and incompleteness of the record. These problems lead to poor quality information, lack of accessibility of the record, poorly organised notes and inaccurate information about the patient. The South African strategy aims to implement a National Health Insurance (NHI) which will provide citizens with equitable access to health care. For the successful implementation of the NHI strategy, South African health care sectors should address the barriers which were identified and learn from other African countries that have successfully implemented EMR systems and had positive outcomes. Therefore, this study investigates how data quality can be improved on electronic medical records in public health care in South Africa? The qualitative research methodology approach was used for this study. Interviews were conducted with eight health care professionals at Klerksdorp, in the North West province to obtain data regarding the factors they would deem important for the improvement of data quality in EMRs. The Data Quality Framework (DQF) was applied in this study and six dimensions were identified as the factors to improve data quality. These dimensions include completeness, accuracy, consistency, conformity, timeliness, and integrity. From the analysis of the interview responses, it was discovered that there were, in fact, data quality issues experienced at the public health care facilities of South Africa. A need was identified for the use of data quality assessment tools and solutions to address the data quality issues or challenges that health care practitioners are faced with during their daily jobs. Seven barriers were also identified as having an impact on the successful implementation of EMRs at health care institutions. These barriers, together with the data quality issues, influence the successful use of EMRs and should not be overlooked. From these barriers the study developed seven Critical Success Factors which can be used by the National Department of Health to improve the quality of EMRs. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2019
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Makeleni, Noloyiso Anele
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Electronic records , Medical records -- Management , Medical records -- Data processing
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/19881 , vital:43618
- Description: Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems have been identified as having the potential to improve health care and allow the health care sector to reap a number of benefits when implemented successfully. These benefits include enabling quick and easy access to patient files and also reducing the problem of misplaced or lost patient files. Such EMRs allow for patient records to be up to date, provided that health care practitioners capture standard and consistent data in the relevant fields. In Africa, there are only a few countries that have successfully implemented EMR systems due to social and technological challenges. Social factors include lack of computer skilled health workers, lack of adequate training, physician’s resistance to shift from using paper records to electronic records, either due to complex systems or the fear of being replaced by the systems. On the other hand, the technological factors include lack of Information Technology (IT) and clinical resources, lack of internet access, financial barriers to purchase the necessary technological hardware and implementation costs. A few South African health care institutions have implemented EMR systems, however, most of the public health care facilities still make use of a manual system to capture patient information. In the case where public health care facilities do have an EMR system implemented, there are problems with the consistency of the data that is captured. The inconsistency is caused by the different understandings that the health care professionals have regarding the importance of capturing the necessary information that is collected at various points in health care institutions, thus affecting data quality. For the successful implementation and use of EMR systems, everything within the health care organisation should be integrated. In other words, the steering committee and workgroup, the equipment, the product, the processes, the system and the facility design and construction should be incorporated to work together. The common problems identified in literature regarding data quality in EMRs include misspelled words, inconsistent word strings, inaccurate information entered on the record and incompleteness of the record. These problems lead to poor quality information, lack of accessibility of the record, poorly organised notes and inaccurate information about the patient. The South African strategy aims to implement a National Health Insurance (NHI) which will provide citizens with equitable access to health care. For the successful implementation of the NHI strategy, South African health care sectors should address the barriers which were identified and learn from other African countries that have successfully implemented EMR systems and had positive outcomes. Therefore, this study investigates how data quality can be improved on electronic medical records in public health care in South Africa? The qualitative research methodology approach was used for this study. Interviews were conducted with eight health care professionals at Klerksdorp, in the North West province to obtain data regarding the factors they would deem important for the improvement of data quality in EMRs. The Data Quality Framework (DQF) was applied in this study and six dimensions were identified as the factors to improve data quality. These dimensions include completeness, accuracy, consistency, conformity, timeliness, and integrity. From the analysis of the interview responses, it was discovered that there were, in fact, data quality issues experienced at the public health care facilities of South Africa. A need was identified for the use of data quality assessment tools and solutions to address the data quality issues or challenges that health care practitioners are faced with during their daily jobs. Seven barriers were also identified as having an impact on the successful implementation of EMRs at health care institutions. These barriers, together with the data quality issues, influence the successful use of EMRs and should not be overlooked. From these barriers the study developed seven Critical Success Factors which can be used by the National Department of Health to improve the quality of EMRs. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2019
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Physicians' perspectives on personal health records: a descriptive study
- Authors: Harmse, Magda Susanna
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Medical records -- Data processing , Medical records -- Management , Information storage and retrieval systems -- Hospitals , Personal information management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6876 , vital:21156
- Description: A Personal Health Record (PHR) is an electronic record of a patient’s health-related information that is managed by the patient. The patient can give access to other parties, such as healthcare providers and family members, as they see fit. These parties can use the information in emergency situations, in order to help improve the patient’s healthcare. PHRs have an important role to play in ensuring that a patient’s complete health history is available to his healthcare providers at the point of care. This is especially true in South Africa, where the majority of healthcare organizations still rely on paper-based methods of record-keeping. Research indicates that physicians play an important role in encouraging the adoption of PHRs amongst patients. Whilst various studies have focused on the perceptions of South African citizens towards PHRs, to date no research has focused on the perceptions of South African physicians. Considering the importance of physicians in encouraging the adoption of PHRs, the problem being addressed by this research project thus relates to the lack of information relating to the perceptions of South African physicians of PHRs. Physicians with private practices at private hospitals in Port Elizabeth, South Africa were surveyed in order to determine their perceptions towards PHRs. Results indicate perceptions regarding benefits to the physician and the patient, as well as concerns to the physician and the patient. The levels of trust in various potential PHR providers and the potential uses of a PHR for the physician were also explored. The results of the survey were compared with the results of relevant international literature in order to describe the perceptions of physicians towards PHRs.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Harmse, Magda Susanna
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Medical records -- Data processing , Medical records -- Management , Information storage and retrieval systems -- Hospitals , Personal information management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6876 , vital:21156
- Description: A Personal Health Record (PHR) is an electronic record of a patient’s health-related information that is managed by the patient. The patient can give access to other parties, such as healthcare providers and family members, as they see fit. These parties can use the information in emergency situations, in order to help improve the patient’s healthcare. PHRs have an important role to play in ensuring that a patient’s complete health history is available to his healthcare providers at the point of care. This is especially true in South Africa, where the majority of healthcare organizations still rely on paper-based methods of record-keeping. Research indicates that physicians play an important role in encouraging the adoption of PHRs amongst patients. Whilst various studies have focused on the perceptions of South African citizens towards PHRs, to date no research has focused on the perceptions of South African physicians. Considering the importance of physicians in encouraging the adoption of PHRs, the problem being addressed by this research project thus relates to the lack of information relating to the perceptions of South African physicians of PHRs. Physicians with private practices at private hospitals in Port Elizabeth, South Africa were surveyed in order to determine their perceptions towards PHRs. Results indicate perceptions regarding benefits to the physician and the patient, as well as concerns to the physician and the patient. The levels of trust in various potential PHR providers and the potential uses of a PHR for the physician were also explored. The results of the survey were compared with the results of relevant international literature in order to describe the perceptions of physicians towards PHRs.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
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