Exploring patients satisfaction after the implementation of an electronic medical record system at Al-Wakrah primary health center, Qatar, 2016

Authors

  • Ayman F. Al-Dahshan Department of Community Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0862-2264
  • Noura Al-Kubaisi Department of Community Medicine, Primary Health Care Corporation, Doha, Qatar
  • Mohamed Abdel Halim Chehab Department of Community Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
  • Nour Al-Hanafi Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20174212

Keywords:

Patient satisfaction, Primary health care, Electronic health records, Qatar

Abstract

Background: The healthcare industry has focused much attention on patient satisfaction with the quality of healthcare services. However, there remains a lack of research on patient satisfaction towards the implementation of an electronic medical record system at a primary healthcare setting. This study aimed at assessing the level of patient satisfaction regarding primary health care services after the implementation of an electronic medical record (EMR) system.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Al-Wakrah health care center, with a random/convenient sample of 52 patients attending the center. Furthermore, the investigators interviewed the participants, in the waiting area, regarding their satisfaction with the primary health care services provided following the EMR system implementation. A structured interview-based questionnaire for measuring patient satisfaction was employed.

Results: The vast majority of participants indicated that the overall service at the health center greatly improved after EMR implementation. Furthermore, most interviewees were totally satisfied with the overall workflow at the health care center such as the time spent at the registration desk (76.9%), before seeing a physician (65.4%), while the physician used the computer (76.9%), physical examination (69.3%), laboratory testing (73.1%), and collecting the medication (65.4%). Regarding health education and informativeness, the participants found that labeling medication bottles was quite informative. However, less than two-thirds (61.5%) of the patients were satisfied with the health education delivered by physicians.

Conclusions: The results revealed that although overall patient satisfaction was relatively high, certain aspects of the health care service remained to be a source of dissatisfaction. Thus, this study demonstrated patient acceptance and support for the electronic medical record system at the primary health care setting. 

Author Biography

Ayman F. Al-Dahshan, Department of Community Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar

Community Medicine Residency Program, PGY-III

References

Institute of Medicine The Computer-Based Patient Record: an essential technology for health care, Revised Edition (2005). Available at: http://books. nap.edu/books/0309055326/html. Accessed on 3 July 2017.

Shield RR, Goldman RE, Anthony DA, Wang N, Doyle RJ, Borkan J. Gradual Electronic Health Record Implementation: New Insights on Physician and Patient Adaptation. Annals of Family Med. 2010;8(4):316–26.

PHCC Corporate Annual Report 2015. Doha: Primary Health Care Corporation; 2016.

Hsu J, Huang J, Fung V, Robertson N, Jimison H, Frankel R. Health information technology and physician-patient interactions: impact of computers on communication during outpatient primary care visits. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2005;12:474–80.

Dugdale DC, Epstein R, Pantilat SZ. Time and the patient-physician relationship. J General Internal Med. 1999;14(Suppl 1):S34–40.

Avis M, Bond M, Arthur A. Satisfying solution? A review of some unresolved issues in the measurement of patient satisfaction. J Adv Nursing. 1995;22(2):316-22.

Weiss GL, Ramsey CA. Regular source of primary medical care and patient satisfaction. Quality Rev Bull. 1989;15:180-4.

Baker R. The reliability and criterion validity of patients' satisfaction with their general practice. Family Pract. 1991;8:171-7.

Janice C, Anbesaw W. Patient and physician satisfaction with an outpatient care visit. J Family Pract. 1997;45:418-25.

Al-Azmi S, Mohammed A, Hanafi M. Patients' satisfaction with primary health care in Kuwait after electronic medical record implementation. J Egyptian Public Health Associat. 2006;81(5-6):277-300.

Kao AC, Green DC, Davis NA, Koplan JP, Cleary PD. Patients’ Trust in Their Physicians: Effects of Choice, Continuity, and Payment Method. J General Internal Med. 1998;13(10):681-6.

Terry A, Brown J, Bestard Denomme L, Thind A, Stewart M. Perspectives on Electronic Medical Record Implementation after Two Years of Use in Primary Health Care Practice. J Am Board Family Med. 2012;25(4):522-7.

Rose D, Richter L, Kapustin J. Patient experiences with electronic medical records: Lessons learned. J Am Associat Nurse Practioners. 2014;26(12):674-80.

Hamad Medical Corporation. Annual Report 2015. Doha: Hamad Medical Corporation; 2016. Available at: http://corp.hamad.qa/annualreport2016/index .html. Accessed on 4 June 2017.

Al-Doghaither AH, Abdelrhman BM, Saeed AAW, Al-Kamil AA, Majzoub MM. Patients’ Satisfaction With Primary Health Care Centers Services In Kuwait City, Kuwait. J Family Community Med. 2001;8(3):59-65.

Galhotra A, Sarpal SS, Gupta S, Goel NK. A cross-sectional study on patient satisfaction toward services received at rural health center, Chandigarh, North India. Annals Trop Med Public Health. 2013;6:240-4.

Denomme L, Terry A, Brown J, Thind A, Stewart M. Primary Health Care Teams’ Experience of Electronic Medical Record Use After Adoption. Family Med. 2011;43(9):638-42.

Downloads

Published

2017-09-22

How to Cite

Al-Dahshan, A. F., Al-Kubaisi, N., Halim Chehab, M. A., & Al-Hanafi, N. (2017). Exploring patients satisfaction after the implementation of an electronic medical record system at Al-Wakrah primary health center, Qatar, 2016. International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 4(10), 3511–3516. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20174212

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles