Volume 5, Issue 7, July – 2020 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology

ISSN No:-2456-2165

Perception of Health Information Management

Professionals on the Importance of Computer
System in Health Information Management in
Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital,
ILE- IFE, Osun State, Nigeria
Ayodele Kolawole Musa1 Ogbonna Mary Aina,2 Ojo Phebean Opeyemi3
1-2
Department of Health Information Management, College of Health Sciences and Technology, Ijero-Ekiti. Ekiti –State, Nigeria.
3
Department of Computer Science, College of Health Sciences and Technology, Ijero-Ekiti. Ekiti –State, Nigeria.

Abstract:- Healthcare system in this contemporary time Computers are one of most veritable tools with high
is moving towards digitalization with respect to level of accuracy, speed, updating information and presence
management of patients’ health information, this is of world wide web. The knowledge of computer science
however pertinent to achieve improved healthcare remains vital part of existence as they are being used on
quality, Information and Communication Technology daily basis as exigency demands. [2]
(ICT) in hospital settings.
In the past, role of computer science in hospital setting
The process therefore requires migrating from and among public health professionals were not prominent.
paper records to Electronic Health Records (EHRs) [3]
particularly in Africa where it has been a lingering
challenge. However, adopting technology in the However, in recent times, technology has been
management of patient records will provide more prominent and is at its peak, every field is therefore
accurate and details patient’s profile. This study influenced by computer application and health information
therefore investigated perceptions of health Information Management in hospital setting is therefore paying a
Management Professionals on the importance of pivotal role in efficient Patient management care. [4]
computer system in health information management in
Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital ,Ile-Ife, However, the role of computer science cannot be
Osun- State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was overemphasised as it is required for the formation and
adopted and thirty (30) Health Information maintenance of patients’ record important in health
Management Professionals were randomly selected surveillance and also pertinent to Health Information
from Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital. System as it is required in explaining geographical
Information system and Electronic medical records.
The result revealed that majority of Health
Information Management Professionals agree that Computer Science is also being used in statistical
computer science is of high importance in Health analysis of various data and hence enhances health
Information Management as it was seen as critically professionals to be innovative and contend with
important for effective clinical documentation and contemporary challenges. [5]
patients’ management care. It was recommended
among others that governments at all level should Information and communication technology (ICT) is
provide adequate and updated facilities for hospitals to mostly used as an extended synonym for information
enhance effective Electronic Health Records (EHRs) technology [6]. It is a more specific term that emphasizes
with required training for Health Information the role of unified communications and the integration of
Management Professionals. communications. It comprises of computing technology,
the Internet and other accessories which enable users to
Keywords:- Perception, Health Information Management, access, store, transmit, and manipulate information.
Computer Science, Professionals Importance, Osun-state. Cruickshank [7] established that peoples’ attitude towards
computer and computerization becomes more favourable as
I. INTRODUCTION their experience of computers and computer technologies
increases. In line with this assertion, Fairley [8] maintained
Health Information Technology (HIT) involves that the rapid advances in userfriendly interfaces of the
dimension of information and communication technologies computer have lessened the need to know the intricacies of
that are expedient for collection, transmission, displaying how the machines work. In the same vein,, the Internet is a
and saving the patient information. [1] global system of interconnected computer networks that
uses the standard internet guidelines for billions of users

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Volume 5, Issue 7, July – 2020 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
[9]. Equally, it depicts history with the development of  What are the barriers to the implementation Electronic
electronic computers in the 1950s and was first introduced Health Records in your institution (EHR )?
to the public by the University of Califonia Los angeles
[10] III. METHODOLOGY

It is equally worthy to know that application of Health The Research work was conducted at Obafemi
Information Technology minimises medical errors cost and Awolowo Teaching Hospital Ile-Ife, Osun- State Nigeria.
paper work. It also increases efficiency, quality of health Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the
care and empowerment of patients and clinicians [11] study. Data was generated from the respondents on their
perception on the importance of computer science in Health
However, despite all these advantages, acceptance of Information Management. The research design is concerned
health Information Technology by health professionals with the totality of the plan used in executing a research
must be of paramount. Overtime findings reveals that in study. It lays out the plan for investigation the research
most countries, acceptance of computer science among questions and details of the study which flows from the
health professionals was very low as particularly observed specific questions asked. [13]
among aging groups [12] .Hence, need to investigate into
the perception of Health Care workers particularly Health Thirty (30) Health Information Management
Information Professionals on the importance of computer professionals were purposely selected for the study which
science in securing effective Electronic Health Records in comprised of males and females
health institutions as concern developing countries.
 Methods of Data Collection
II. AIM OF THE STUDY Data collected was analysed using descriptive
statistics. The descriptive statistics was used to present
Both National and International development advocate details of the demographics using frequencies, percentages,
for accessibility to Healthcare information , However, means and standard deviations. How can you rate your
implementation of Health Information Technology (HIT) performance in relation to Electronic Health Record as
has therefore become indispensable through health care Health Information management Professionals
professionals particularly Health Information Management.
In Nigeria few studies exist that illustrate the perception of  Ethical Consideration
Health Information Management professionals on the After the participants were duly informed of the
adoption of Technology. Therefore, this study will: purpose and users of the study, their right to either stay or
 Assess knowledge utilization and perceptions of withdraw from the study and after assurances of utmost
computer science application among Health confidentiality of data to be obtained, informed consent was
Information Management professionals. received from them.
 Provide the opportunity for healthcare organizations to
improve quality of care and patient safety through IV. RESULTS
effective Electronic Health records.
 provide comprehensive, reliable, relevant, accessible, Age range Frequency percentage
and timely patient information to each member of the 21-30 10 33.33%
healthcare team 31-40 15 50%
 make the information collection more efficient, 41-50 5 16.67%
readable, and more easily disseminated Total 30 100%
 Reduce human error in the documentation of patient Table 1:- Age Range of the Respondents
information in Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital
Ile-Ife, Osun- State Nigeria. Table 1 shows 33.3% of the respondents are
between the ages of 21-30years, 50% of the respondents are
 Research Questions between the ages of 31-40 while 16.67% respondents are
In order to achieve the objectives of this study, between 41-50 years. It shows that higher percentages of
following are research questions: the respondents are in their active working group which
 How critical is electronic health information needed in may enhance their suitability to adapt to computer
meeting your organization goals as Health Information application.
management Professional?
 How important is computer system to you as Health SEX Frequency Percentage
Information Management Professionals? Male 25 83.33%
 How can you rate your performance in relation to Female 5 16.67%
Electronic Health Record as Health Information Total 30 100
management Professional? Table 2:- Gender Distribution of the Respondents
 What is your perception about computer application as
Health Information management Professional?

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Volume 5, Issue 7, July – 2020 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
Table 2 shows the distribution of the respondents by are female, it shows that male are far more than the females
gender, 83.3% of the respondents are male while 16.67% among the respondents.

Item Critically important Important Neutral Low important Not important Total
Clinical quality 10 (33.33%) 5 (16.67)% 3(10%) 2(6.67%) 5(16.67%) 30(100 %)
Patience service 15 (50)% 4 (13,33) % 1(3.33%) 6 (20%) 4 (13.33%) 30 (100 %)
Operation service 8(26.67%) 8(26.67%) 4 (13.33) 2 (6.67%) 8 (26.67%) 30 (100 %)
Table 3:- Respondents’ answer on how critical is electronic health information needed in meeting your organization goals as
Health Information management Professional?

In table above, majority of the respondents opined important while only 20% of the respondents stated that
that electronic health information is critically important in computer system is not important in Health Information
meeting organisation goals. 33.33% opine is critically Management.
important in clinical quality, 50% agree is critically needed
in patience service while 26.67% agree is critically Performance Respondent Percentage
important in operation service. Low 6 20%
High 24 80%
Level of Respondent Percentage Total 30 100%
importance Table 5:- Respondents rating their performance in relation
Not important 6 20% to Electronic Health Record as Health Information
Very Important 24 80% management Professional.
Total 30 100%
Table 4:- shows respondents on how important is computer In table above, respondents rated their performances
system in Health Information Management in relation to Electronic Health Record (HER), it shows
that majority of the respondents (80%) rated their
The table above reveals the perception of the performances high which depicts that most of the Health
respondents on how important computer science in Health Information management Professional are already adapted
Information Management, higher percentage of the to computer application in Obafemi Awolowo Teaching
respondents (80%) opined that computer application very Hospital Ile-Ife, Osun- State Nigeria.

Acceptance of EHR Respondent Percentage

Easy 10 33.33%
Difficult 5 16.67%
Satisfying 10 33.33%
frustrating 5 16.67%
Table 6:- Respondents’ perception about computer application as Health Information Management Professional

Table above reveal respondents’ perception about computer application as Health Information Management Professional,
33.33% of the respondents perceived that computer application is easy and equally satisfying respectively however, 16.67%
opined that computer application is difficult and frustrating equally. It can be deduced that majority of the Health Information
Management Professionals are adapted to Electronic Health Records at Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital Ile-Ife, Osun-
State Nigeria.

Not a barrier Minor barrier Major barrier Total

Lack of Computer skills 15 (50%) 10 (33.33%) 5 (16.67%) 30
Lack of uniform industry 9 (30%) 16 (53.3 %) 5 (16.67%) 30
standards
Poor administrative policy 10(33.33%) 18 (60%) 2 (6.66 %) 30
Inadequate Training 8 (26.67%) 12 (40%) 10 (33.33%) 30
Table 7:- shows respondents’ barriers to the implementation of Electronic Health Records (EHR)

The table above shows that respondents’ perception of Health Institution. However majority of the respondents
barriers to implementation of Electronic Health Records, (50%) perceived computer skills not a barrier which depicts
It reveals that large percentage (60%) of the respondents that majority of Health Management Professionals in the
perceive poor administrative policy as a minor barrier to institution are computer literate.
implementation of Electronic Health records. Equally,
about 16.67% and 33.33% of the respondents perceived
that lack of computer skills and inadequate training are
major barriers to Electronic Health records in Tertiary

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Volume 5, Issue 7, July – 2020 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
V. DISCUSSION The study therefore reveals that knowledge and level
of adoption of computer science among Health information
The study assess the perception of the Health Management Professionals in the institution was
Information management professionals on the importance considerably good, however, rate of technology knowledge
of computer application in Health information system, and adaptation need to be improved. This may be due to
however research questions were raised to achieve the lack of structured training and computer accessibility. The
target objectives. The respondents were asked how critical institution must provide computer access to staff. Also by
is Electronic Health Record (EHR) needed in meeting their reinforcement of educational infrastructures, provide the
organization goals as Health Information management possibility of increasing knowledge of health information
Professional, larger percentage of the respondents opined technology among Health Information Professionals.
that Electronic Health Record is critically needed for
Clinical quality, Patience service and Operation service. RECOMMENDATIONS
This position agrees with Chaudhry et.al (2006) [14] who
reported that technology has been adjudged by both health  Education on Electronic Health Information (EHR)is
care experts and health care consumers as having critical required for training of staff to allow them to know the
roles to play in the transformation of healthcare. nature of EHR itself
 Computerization should only be made a priority as it
Equally, 80% of the respondents agree that computer supports the overall objectives of the Health institution
is very important in Health Information Management, this  There must be more involvement by the government
equally upholds the findings of Ibrahim et.al 2015 [15] who and the private sector to make changes possible to
reported that virtually all the participants across healthcare instigate, motivate, and provide incentives to accelerate
professions indicated that computer application is very the development of solutions to overcome the barriers
important in management of health information to of computerization of Health information
improve medical care quality. Also, Strivastava et al. in
2014 [16] stated that studies among resident doctors, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
dentist, medical laboratory scientists and students revealed
that they have good knowledge about the importance of Appreciation goes to all who contributed to the
computer application in health information. Similarly success of this article.
respondents who are Health Information Management
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