Authors
1 Lecturer, Education of Medical Records, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Health Information Managemant, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
3 Assistant Professor, Health Informatics, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
4 PhD Student, Medical Ethics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
5 Medical Student, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
Abstract
Introduction: The critical dependence of healthcare services systems on information along with
the indigenous restriction of paper documents in satisfying this need has caused a trend toward
computer information systems. The main goal of such systems is to achieve electronic health
records (EHR). However, implementation of EHR in healthcare organizations is difficult and
complicated. This research aimed to assess the barriers of EHR implementation.
Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in 2010. It included 120
employees (such as physicians, nurses, laboratory and radiology and medical records departments
staff) from teaching hospitals affiliated to Urmia University of Medical Sciences. Data was
collected by a self-developed questionnaire whose reliability and validity had been measured by
specialists and internal consistency method (r = 0.86), respectively. The collected data was
analyzed using descriptive statistics and analytical statistics (t-test and chi-square test) in SPSS.
Results: Based on our results, attitudinal-behavioral (93.4%) and organizational change barriers
(88.4%) scored the highest among the barriers of HER implementation. In addition, minimum
scores were related to financial barriers (72.8%). Correlation analysis showed a significant
correlation between job and organizational change barriers (p = 0.003), and also between the
history and attitudinal-behavioral barriers (p = 0.006).
Conclusion: Since the most important barriers of EHR implementation were attitudinalbehavioral barriers and organizational change barriers, educational interventions seem necessary
to create an appropriate attitude among health care providers. Increasing knowledge of system
users about the features, objectives, benefits and positive effects of the system while ensuring the
confidentiality and security of HER would decrease change resistance and increase the
acceptance and participation in EHR implementation.
Keywords
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