Insights into healthcare workers' perceptions of electronic medical record system utilization: A cross-sectional study in Mafeteng District, Lesotho

Background: Electronic medical record (EMR) systems have significantly transformed the way healthcare data is created, managed and utilized. The advantages offered by the systems over paper-based records include improved legibility and accessibility to up-to-date patient information and provision of support for clinical decision-making. The system’s implementation in Lesotho aimed to enhance patient care, track patients, and generate routine reports for evidence-based programming. It is imperative to understand how healthcare workers (HCWs) perceive the system as frontline end-users; thus, the objective of the study was to explore HCWs’ perceptions of the system, focusing on their perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use and factors influencing acceptance and utilization in Mafeteng district. Methods : A descriptive cross-sectional study design was conducted; 145 healthcare workers from 17 health facilities were invited to participate in the study. A structured questionnaire based on the Technology Acceptance Model was administered for data collection. The analysis included descriptive statistics; the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use using Stata/BE 18.0 and multiple regression analysis to identify the outcomes of the HCWs’ perceptions. Additional text by participants was extracted to explain quantitative results. Results: There was a 49% response rate (n= 71). The majority of respondents in the study were female (70.42%), and the most common profession was registered nurse midwife (45.07%). A large proportion of the participants reported having good computer skills. 87.32% HCWs found the EMR system useful, with 83.1% agreeing that it improves job performance and saves time. Additionally, 85.91% participants found the system easy to use, with 81.69% able to recover from errors and 85% able to remember how to perform tasks. However, 32.39% experienced unexpected system behaviour. Conclusion: Overall, HCWs showed positive attitudes towards the EMR system, appreciating its usefulness, ease of use and efficiency. Nevertheless, unexpected behavioural issues, such as network issues, unavailability of electricity, and computer skills gaps among the respondents were identified. Addressing these challenges is crucial for successful implementation and adoption of the system, ultimately leading to improved patient care.