Legal Issues in the Management of Patients’ Records in Tertiary Hospitals in Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the legal practices practiced by records managers in the management of patients' records in tertiary hospitals in Nigeria, so as to know how legal issues influenced the management of patients' records in Nigeria tertiary hospitals. The correlation research design was adopted for the study. The population consisted of all the 282 records managers in the 10 tertiary hospitals in South-West, Nigeria. Data generated through questionnaire were analysed using descriptive statistics, simple correlation analysis at 0.05 alpha level. Findings revealed that record managers paid much attention to records creation, records storage and considerable actions in health records departments. Finding also deduced that legal considerations existed in tertiary hospitals in South-West, Nigeria. The study concluded that there was a significant positive relationship between records managers' legal issues and the management of patients' records in tertiary hospitals in South-West, Nigeria (r = .418, N= 230, P <.0.05). The study therefore recommended that federal government should promulgate law on management of patients' records that will cut across the federal, state and local government so as to provide uniform practice and enhance good standard of records management practice. Finally, violators of rules concerning patients' records and rights of privacy abuses should be made to face the wrath of the law, so as to serve as deterrent to others.