Impact of electronic health record systems on quality of primary care within essential public health function framework

Quality healthcare is the primary objective of any healthcare system. An effective electronic health record system is a crucial tool for achieving this goal. Its objectives are to improve the quality of medical care by automating the work of doctors and medical personnel in all areas of activity.

The purpose of this study. To explore the impact of electronic health records systems in primary health care facilities on improving the quality of care to ensure a sustainable organizational structure as an essential public healthcare function.

Materials and methods. The search was conducted in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases. The search strategy was based on the PICO Framework. The studies selected for the meta-analysis were published between January 1, 2010, and May 1, 2023. Two authors independently reviewed article titles and abstracts for eligibility. Information from the search was deduplicated using EndNote X9 and imported into the Covidence Systematic Review for review. Statistical processing was performed in RStudio 2023.03.1 Build 446 (Posit Software, PBC).

Results. A literature search identified 640 publications; 11 of them were included in the review. Meta-analysis showed that the use of electronic health records (EHRs) helps to reduce the time to complete medical records by 33.4 % (95% CI = 0.8 % to 1.2 %; p < 0.007), promotes adherence to clinical recommendations (RR 1.30; 95 % CI = 1.04 to 1.79; p = 0.05) and reduces prescribing errors (RR 0.44; 95 % CI = 0.34 to 0.53; p < 0.001), which undoubtedly improves the quality of medical care.

Conclusion. This study validates the positive influence of EHRSs on enhancing care quality in PHC settings, primarily by streamlining documentation, reducing prescription errors, and aligning workflow with clinical guidelines. These findings can help healthcare and public health professionals make informed decisions about EHRS adoption.

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