Electronic Health Record: An Underutilized Tool in Nigeria's Healthcare System

Healthcare delivery services in Nigeria over the last decades has been worrisome because hospital and clinics have not followed the global trend of information system and still rely on the traditional method of record keeping which comes with challenges such as delay, long patient waiting time and difficulty in retrieving patient’s medical record. Electronic health records (EHR) are digitized records of clinical services. Utilizing electronic health records is an essential tool whose benefits cannot be overemphasized and it includes, record accessibility, improved documentation, reduced errors and leading to professional satisfaction with its benefits, its demerits also are embedded in it, which include less patient contact, frustration if there is lack of technical know-how, error in documentation and the problem of interoperability. The challenges to the implementation of electronic health records in Nigeria include government policy, lack of information communication technology infrastructure, lack of exposure to advanced concepts in training, poor internet connectivity and financial constraints. The aim of this paper is to assess the current state of EHR adoption and utilization in Nigeria's healthcare system. Through an examination of the rate of use and factors limiting its use in Nigeria. This article seeks to sensitize relevant stakeholders to take appropriate action in mitigating factors limiting its use and improving health care delivery. Over 75 pieces of literature were initially examined concerning electronic health records, with 50 of them undergoing rigorous critical evaluation. Ultimately, 36 selected works were incorporated into this comprehensive review. Results showed that most of the literature surveyed indicated a low utilization rate of electronic health records in Nigerian hospitals. Estimates suggest that the adoption of electronic health records stands at 18-23%, while computerized physician order entry utilization is as low as 15%. In conclusion, addressing the factors that hinder the implementation of electronic health records across all levels of the healthcare system, from primary to tertiary, is crucial for ensuring successful adoption throughout the entire state and country. It is therefore recommended that health information technology courses should be inculcated into the medical professionals' curriculum, information technology specialists should be employed in the health care system for improvement of health care delivery, there should be the training of health staff in the working system on use of computer and information technology, positive attitude of health care professionals towards adopting the electronic health record system should be adopted and appropriate inter-sectoral collaboration with telecommunication system and electrical distribution company to enhance the implementation of electronic health record.  More research should be carried out on electronic health records in Nigeria and its rate of usage as limited research exists on the rate of utilization in Nigeria hospitals.