Location
Room 2908
Session Format
Paper Presentation
Research Area Topic:
Public Health & Well Being - Health Informatics
Abstract
Background: Electronic Health Record (EHR) implementation has seen great advances in health care, but the movement is leaving public health agencies behind. EHRs have been shown to improve operational and societal outcomes when implemented. Scarce allocation of resources, lack of trained staff, and security have are limiters to implementation, despite the varied benefits of EHRs. The objective of this research was to establish a rich view of EHR implementation in local health departments (LHDs) through assessing status of implementation, benefits, barriers, and strategies to overcome challenges. Methods: This research used a mixed methods approach to assess 49 key-informant interviews and 324 web-based surveys from leaders and primary users of informatics within LHDs. These data were used to assess current practices, capabilities, and needs of LHDs. The qualitative interviews were coded by themes and sub-themes using NVivo software. Logistic regression and descriptive statistics were obtained through analysis using SPSS of the quantitative surveys. Results: The majority of the LHDs had no EHR implementation activity and were using non-EHR systems for data storage (58%). Approximately 42 percent of LHDs had implemented a type of EHR system. The most frequently mentioned benefits of EHR implementation were care coordination, retrieval or managing information, track outcomes of care, increased efficiencies, and accurate records. However, the barriers were costs or financial resources, resistance to change, no clinical services, lack of training, and low priority. LHD characteristics significantly associated with the implementation of EHRs included, a population size of 1,000,000 or more; access to high-speed internet; having Broadband ISDN or Fiber Optic Ethernet internet connection; various levels of IT control, organizational activities related to informatics, informatics activities performed, and informatics uses. Conclusion: Despite the barriers of costs, resistance to change, and low priority of EHR implementation in LHDs, the leaders were optimistic about the future of EHRs in LHDs even making plans for future implementation. As mentioned in both qualitative and quantitative results, having a champion or super user within the LHD can vastly improve the likelihood of successful implementation of EHRs in LHDs.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Presentation Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Start Date
4-16-2016 4:00 PM
End Date
4-16-2016 5:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Williams, Karmen S., "A Mixed Methods Assessment of the Implementation of Electronic Health Records in Local Health Departments" (2016). GS4 Georgia Southern Student Scholars Symposium. 52.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2016/2016/52
A Mixed Methods Assessment of the Implementation of Electronic Health Records in Local Health Departments
Room 2908
Background: Electronic Health Record (EHR) implementation has seen great advances in health care, but the movement is leaving public health agencies behind. EHRs have been shown to improve operational and societal outcomes when implemented. Scarce allocation of resources, lack of trained staff, and security have are limiters to implementation, despite the varied benefits of EHRs. The objective of this research was to establish a rich view of EHR implementation in local health departments (LHDs) through assessing status of implementation, benefits, barriers, and strategies to overcome challenges. Methods: This research used a mixed methods approach to assess 49 key-informant interviews and 324 web-based surveys from leaders and primary users of informatics within LHDs. These data were used to assess current practices, capabilities, and needs of LHDs. The qualitative interviews were coded by themes and sub-themes using NVivo software. Logistic regression and descriptive statistics were obtained through analysis using SPSS of the quantitative surveys. Results: The majority of the LHDs had no EHR implementation activity and were using non-EHR systems for data storage (58%). Approximately 42 percent of LHDs had implemented a type of EHR system. The most frequently mentioned benefits of EHR implementation were care coordination, retrieval or managing information, track outcomes of care, increased efficiencies, and accurate records. However, the barriers were costs or financial resources, resistance to change, no clinical services, lack of training, and low priority. LHD characteristics significantly associated with the implementation of EHRs included, a population size of 1,000,000 or more; access to high-speed internet; having Broadband ISDN or Fiber Optic Ethernet internet connection; various levels of IT control, organizational activities related to informatics, informatics activities performed, and informatics uses. Conclusion: Despite the barriers of costs, resistance to change, and low priority of EHR implementation in LHDs, the leaders were optimistic about the future of EHRs in LHDs even making plans for future implementation. As mentioned in both qualitative and quantitative results, having a champion or super user within the LHD can vastly improve the likelihood of successful implementation of EHRs in LHDs.
