Organisational Factors Associated with Electronic Health Information Management Systems Success in two Nigerian Teaching Hospitals

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Electronic Health Information Management Systems (EHIMS) are seen as crucial in public health institutions today, as they enhance quality care delivery. Efforts at implementing this system in public health institutions of developing countries have usually been fraught with failure, thus preventing it from delivering its intended benefits. One reason adduced to be responsible for failure is that more attention is given towards technological factors at the expense of organisational factors. Hence, this paper examined the relationship between organisational factors and EHIMS success in Nigerian Teaching Hospitals. Methods: A correlational survey research design was adopted, while the study’s population comprised 212 health information management (HIM) personnel in two south-western public teaching hospitals in Nigeria. Total enumeration technique was used to cover the 212 personnel who served as respondents. A self-developed instrument titled “EHIMS Success Organisational Factors” was used for data collection, while simple correlation analysis was used in analysing the collected data. Results: It was revealed that a positive relationship exists between all the identified organisational factors and EHIMS success; organisational structure (r = 0.443, p < 0.05); top management support (r = 0.613, p < 0.05); leadership style (r = 0.645, p < 0.05); users’ training (r = 0.521, p < 0.05); financial resources availability (r = 0.331, p < 0.05); and users’ involvement in system design (r = 0.633, p < 0.05). Conclusions: It was concluded that an understanding of the identified organisational factors are crucial in attaining successful implementation of EHIMS in Nigeria Teaching Hospitals. Keywords: Electronic health information management system, Organisational factors, Information system success, Teaching hospitals, Nigeria