Determinants of the willingness to use an electronic medical record at a category one hospital in Cameroon: a cross-sectional survey
This cross-sectional study of 137 healthcare professionals at Yaoundé University Teaching Hospital in Cameroon reveals that willingness to use electronic medical records is significantly influenced by access to computers, internet connectivity, technical support, computer skills, and training, highlighting the need for improved resource availability and capacity-building initiatives to support healthcare digitization.
Original paper licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This is an AI-generated explanation of the paper below. It is not written or endorsed by the authors. For technical accuracy, refer to the original paper. Read full disclaimer
Imagine the world of healthcare as a massive, bustling library where every patient has a unique storybook. For centuries, these storybooks were written on paper, stacked in dusty shelves, and carried by hand from one doctor to another. While this system worked for a long time, it had some annoying glitches: pages could get lost, ink could fade, and finding a specific chapter in a patient's history could take forever. Enter the "Electronic Medical Record" (EMR). Think of this as upgrading that library to a super-fast, magical digital database. Instead of flipping through heavy paper books, doctors can now tap a screen to instantly see a patient's entire history, share notes with colleagues in a blink, and even get helpful hints to avoid mistakes. It's like swapping a slow, winding dirt road for a high-speed train. But here's the catch: even if you build the fastest train in the world, it won't go anywhere if the people who are supposed to drive it are afraid of the controls, don't know how to read the map, or if the tracks are missing entirely. This is the big question scientists are asking in many places today: Are the people who work in hospitals actually ready and willing to hop on this digital train, or are they still clinging to their old paper maps?
This study takes a close look at a specific, high-level hospital in Yaoundé, Cameroon, known as the Yaoundé University Teaching Hospital (YUTH). The researchers wanted to figure out what makes a healthcare worker say "Yes, I want to use this new digital system!" versus "No, I'll stick to paper." They surveyed 137 staff members, including doctors, nurses, and lab technicians, asking them about their computer skills, their access to technology, and their feelings about the new system.
The results paint a picture of a hospital that is half-ready for the future. About 53.3% of the staff said they were willing to use the EMR. That's a bit more than half, but not the overwhelming majority the researchers might have hoped for. The study found that the willingness to use the system wasn't just about wanting to be modern; it was heavily tied to practical tools. It's like saying you're willing to drive a Ferrari, but only if you actually have a car, a driver's license, and a road to drive on.
Specifically, the researchers found that staff members who had access to a computer were much more likely to want to use the EMR. In fact, having a computer was linked to a 4.26 times higher chance of being willing to use the system. Similarly, having good computer skills, having received training on the EMR, and having access to the internet all made people more eager to switch to digital records. It's as if the staff members were saying, "We are ready to learn, but we need the tools and the practice to feel confident."
However, the story gets a little more complicated when the researchers looked at everything together. While having a computer, internet access, and training all seemed important on their own, the study suggests that when you mix all these factors together, the link becomes a bit fuzzier. For instance, while having a computer was strongly linked to willingness in the initial checks, the final analysis showed it was only "marginally" linked, meaning the connection wasn't as rock-solid as the first look suggested. The paper also notes that having a dedicated IT support person nearby made a big difference in the initial checks (making people 5.43 times more likely to be willing), but this association did not hold up as a statistically significant factor in the final, more complex analysis.
The paper found that while most of the staff had higher education, this factor did not show a statistically significant link to their willingness to use the system in the initial analysis. Instead, the main drivers appeared to be the practical things: can you touch a computer? Do you know how to type? Is there someone to help if the screen freezes? The study also found that while 92% of staff said they would use the EMR if they were properly trained, and 94.9% said they would use it if the infrastructure was available, the reality on the ground is that many still lack these basics. For example, 62.8% of the staff didn't have access to a computer for work, and 65.7% didn't have internet access.
In the end, the paper suggests that the path to a fully digital hospital isn't just about buying software; it's about building a foundation. The authors conclude that to get more staff willing to use the EMR, the hospital needs to ensure everyone has access to computers and the internet, and that staff need opportunities to practice and learn, perhaps through peer-to-peer training or self-paced lessons. It's a reminder that you can't just drop a high-tech solution into a room and expect it to work; you have to make sure the people using it have the keys, the map, and the confidence to drive.
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