Electronic healthcare management system in Nigeria: current progress, challenges, and opportunities
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Abstract
Electronic Healthcare Management Systems (EHMS) offer significant opportunities to improve healthcare delivery in Nigeria. However, their adoption and implementation remain constrained by substantial infrastructural, financial, technical, and policy-related barriers. This qualitative study examines the current state of EHMS adoption and implementation in Nigeria, identifying the progress achieved, challenges encountered, and opportunities for improvement. Data were collected from healthcare providers, patients, and policymakers and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal limited and uneven adoption of EHMS across healthcare institutions, with notable disparities between private and public facilities and between urban and rural settings. Key challenges include inadequate technological infrastructure, financial constraints, insufficient digital competencies among healthcare personnel, and the absence of coherent and supportive policies. These interconnected barriers continue to hinder the widespread adoption and effective implementation of EHMS within Nigeria's healthcare system. Addressing these challenges through targeted investment, workforce capacity development, improved infrastructure, and strengthened policy frameworks is essential to advancing EHMS adoption and enhancing the quality, accessibility, and efficiency of healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
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