Association of Knowledge and Attitude on Healthcare Professionals’ Readiness Toward Electronic Medical Record Implementation: A Meta-Analysis
Keywords:
electronic medical record, readiness, knowledge, attitude, meta-analysisAbstract
The successful implementation of electronic medical records (EMR) is closely linked to the readiness of healthcare professionals. Among various determinants, knowledge and attitude are considered the most essential individual factors. This meta-analysis followed PRISMA guidelines. Studies were systematically searched in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar using Boolean operators. Eligible studies were cross-sectional, reported adjusted odds ratios (aOR), and examined the association of knowledge and attitude with readiness for electronic medical record implementation. Data were analyzed using RevMan 5.3 using fixed-effect models, and publication bias was assessed using funnel plots. A total of 14 studies published between 2014 and 2024 were included, comprising 13 studies from Ethiopia and 1 study from Saudi Arabia. Ethiopia is a low-income nation with varying levels of digital health in terms of digital infrastructure and EMR implementation phases. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia represents a high-income country with a more advanced digital health infrastructure. A total of 14 cross-sectional studies were included in the meta-analysis. Healthcare professionals with good knowledge were more likely to be ready to implement electronic medical records (pooled aOR = 2.04; 95% CI: 1.73–2.40). Similarly, a favorable attitude was associated with higher readiness for EMR implementation (pooled aOR = 2.15; 95% CI: 1.84–2.51). The findings were consistent across studies, with low to moderate heterogeneity, and visual inspection of funnel plots suggested no substantial publication bias. This meta-analysis confirms that knowledge and attitude significantly influence healthcare professionals’ readiness to implement EMR. Efforts to strengthen knowledge through training and capacity building, along with strategies to foster positive attitudes toward EMR, are crucial to ensure the success of digital health transformation in healthcare facilities.
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