Factors impacting providers' perceptions regarding a midwestern university-based EMR

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Medical Information Systems
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Information Technology (IT) offers significant potential to improve healthcare delivery.
• Electronic Medical Records (EMR) systems are a key IT application in healthcare, with technical and structural barriers frequently studied.
• Cultural barriers to EMR adoption remain less understood, impacting successful implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate cultural barriers influencing the success or failure of EMR systems.
• To understand the role of individual and organizational factors on provider perceptions of EMRs.
• To analyze provider experiences with an EMR system at Michigan State University (MSU).

Main Methods:

• A survey with 144 items was administered to 41 healthcare providers at MSU.
• Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the collected data.
• The study examined correlations between provider perceptions, demographic variables, and general EMR attitudes.

Main Results:

• Provider perceptions of the MSU EMR system were mixed; over 45% deemed it a "bad choice".
• Despite negative overall perceptions, providers reported high satisfaction with specific aspects of EMR system usability.
• General positive perceptions of EMRs correlated strongly with positive perceptions of the specific MSU EMR implementation.

Conclusions:

• Provider perceptions of EMRs are more influenced by general attitudes towards EMRs than by demographic factors.
• Healthcare organizations should prioritize EMR education and training to improve system adoption and satisfaction.
• Addressing cultural and perceptual factors is crucial for successful EMR implementation and leveraging IT in healthcare.