Factors contributing to physicians’ current use and satisfaction of electronic health records (EHRs) in Kuwait’s public health care: A cross- sectional study. (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND The Electronic Health Record (EHR) is the backbone of the integration of information to help physicians in making effective decisions in patient care. The adoption of E-health care system, Health Information Communication Technologies (HICT) and EHR is raising in Kuwait OBJECTIVE This study aims to (i) identify the factors associated with physician’s current use, satisfaction, and prevalence with EHRs (ii) assess the factors’ relative importance in terms of predicting current use, satisfaction and prevalence with EHRs. METHODS This study took place at a public hospital in 2019. Using an anonymous self-administered paper-based survey, two hundred and ninety-five physicians were recruited. The survey contained 35 statements and the Technology Acceptance Model was used as the theoretical framework to guide the survey development. The dependent variables were “Physicians' current use of EHR" and “Physicians’ Satisfaction with EHR.” The independent variables were the demographics factors, Length of use of EHR, training quality, perceptions of barriers toward using EHR, the EHR effect on physicians’ Work, and level of ease of EHR function. Descriptive analysis, followed by bivariate, and multivariate linear regression adjusted for demographics were conducted. RESULTS Among the 295 research participants, 75% indicated that they are currently using the EHR system. The effect that the EHR use had on physician’s work was the most significant predictor of physician’s satisfaction using EHR (β=.377, p=0.000), followed by the level of ease of EHR function and (β=.341, p=.00) and barriers to using EHR (β=.170, p=0.000). Regarding the prediction of the current use of EHR it was found that the perceptions of barriers to using EHR was the most significant predictor (β= .145, p=0.000) followed by the effect on physician’s work (β=.645, p=0.01) and length of EHR (β= .111, p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS In the promotion of EHR current use and related satisfaction, enhancing and promoting the positive effect of EHR use on the physicians’work while making the implementation of the EHR system as easy as possible by removing barriers seem to be key factors. CLINICALTRIAL Not applicable .