Contextual factors surrounding Electronic Medical Records Systems in the Zimbabwe public health

Despite the positive benefits that are associated with electronic medical records (EMR), developing countries have lagged behind in its adoption within the public healthcare institutions. A number of studies have been conducted on EMR systems but few have investigated the reasons for the limited use of EMR technology in developing countries. This study seeks to address this gap by identifying the perceived benefits, challenges associated with EMR adoption; and how the institution’s environment influence this process of adoption. The study made use of in-depth interviews to gather data from a sample of EMR experts. Then, thematic analysis was used to analyse the data and identified several benefits of using EMRs as well as challenges. Whilst most challenges resonance with the existing literature, some challenges reported are unique to the context of Zimbabwe – for example, public health institutions operating in an institutional environment that lacks adequate support, maintenance, and enforcement of rules, practices, and structures that guide behavior and interaction. These findings once again emphasise the need for researchers to engage with the empirical context to provide a better understanding of the challenges associated with technology adoption