An investigation into the impacts of adopting HIT-related EHRs/EMRs on Saudi healthcare systems among private and public hospitals: a comparative analysis

In the last decade, healthcare in Saudi Arabia has been significantly improving. This has been accompanied by advancements in the field of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). In particular, Saudi Arabia has seen the recent introduction of health information systems in healthcare organisations, namely, the Electronic Health Record System (EHRs) and the Electronic Medical Record System (EMRs). These systems offer a number of potential benefits, such as the reduction of medical costs; however, the health organisations in question face limitations when it comes to reaping these benefits, due to the challenges surrounding their implementation. In order to reduce these challenges, a high level of interoperability between different organisations’ systems is required. To make this possible, this study illustrates the applicability required regarding an adoption model for a unified health information system. Based on a review of the literature on the diffusion of innovation, there are several factors that influence the adoption of HIT, which needs to be investigated. These will support implementing health information technology, in particular, EHRs/EMRs. However, the adoption of such EHRs/EMRs as a core technology in healthcare organisations for both private and public hospitals has been significantly developed in recent times, without real practical research, such as an investigation into health information exchange. The implementation of EHRs has been a necessity for hospitals to achieve objectives, such as enhancing the quality of healthcare provided, heightening patient safety, and reducing the time and cost of healthcare delivery. Additionally, this study widely illustrates that EHRs/EMRs would provide a transformative benefit to the Saudi health system, resulting in improved patient care and greater transparency, as well as improving the decision-making process effectively and efficiently. The purpose of this research is to explore the impact EHRs have in the healthcare industry. After covering the theories of acceptance technology, adoption, and innovation in healthcare, the circumstances surrounding the implementation of a HIT in a developing country, such as Saudi Arabia, will be investigated. Through this study, it was possible to establish several differing factors, which influence the adoption of EHRs. These factors show impacts on time, cost, quality, efficiency, process, and performance. In this thesis, an exploratory, interpretative, multiple-case study methodology is employed to examine the case of Saudi Arabia, in the use of EHRs. This involved twenty interviews, across two public and two private hospitals. This study contributed at three levels. Firstly, concerning an understanding of the adoption process of HIT, which is lacking in the current literature. Secondly, the research model highlighted key impacts, risks, barriers, issues, and challenges surrounding the implementation of EHRs, and how EHRs are adopted by different health organisations. Lastly, it illustrated the critical factors, which influence the adoption of EHRs in healthcare organisations, and for future integration, as well as giving possible avenues for future research