Assessing the Impact of Electronic Health Record Systems Implementation on Hospital Patient Perceptions of Care

The delivery of health care services has been impacted by advances in Knowledge Management Information Systems (KMIS) and Information Technology (IT). The literature reveals that Electronic Health Records Systems (EHRs) are a comprehensive KMIS. There is a wide recognition in the body of knowledge that demonstrates the potential of EHRs to transform all aspects of health care services and, in consequence, the performance of Health Care Delivery Organizations (HCDO). Authors of published research also agree that there is a need for more empirical contributions that demonstrate the impact of EHRs upon HCDO. It is argued that in most cases, studies have been deployed with very limited data or in a specific health care setting. Small gains in performance and mixed results have made difficult to conclusively demonstrate a significant effect of EHRs on the quality of health care services. This study contributes to the knowledge base by empirically assessing the link between a hospital\u27s level of implementation of EHRs and patients\u27 perceptions of the quality of health care services through the analysis of 2,036 hospitals. Findings reveal that the level of implementation of EHRs has a positive impact, both on the percentage of patients who are willing to recommend the hospital to family and friends, and on the percentage of patients who give high ratings based on their last stay in the hospital