This Research Work is on

Issues On E-Health Adoption In Nigeria

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the issues of ICT and performance of the health care projects. The study was guided by the following objectives: to establish the extent to which ICT is used in healthcare projects in Nigeria, to determine the key challenges in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in healthcare and to establish the relationship between the utilization of the ICTs and the performance of the healthcare projects. Descriptive survey design was used in the study. The population for this study was organizations running healthcare projects in Nigeria. Ten organizations running projects that have adopted e-health systems were studied. A total of 5 respondents were randomly sampled from each of the organizations targeted. A total of 50 respondents were targeted by the study out of which 48 responded giving a response rate of 96%. Questionnaires were used as instruments for data collection. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages means and standard deviation was used to analyze the data. Inferential statistics such as regression and correlation analysis was used to test on the relationship between the variables of the study. On the extent of use of ICT in the provision of healthcare projects, the study found that ICT had been used in the management of electronic health records to a large extent in managing patients’ records electronically and provision of back up in cases of emergency for patients’ records as indicated by 37.5% of the respondents. Regarding the challenges to the use of ICT in the provision of healthcare services, the study found that inadequate ICT infrastructure in the organization hinders service delivery to the healthcare subscribers (mean score 3.31) and that inadequate ICT infrastructure among the subscribers hinders their access to the healthcare services (mean score 3.31). Other challenges included: lack of technical knowhow, ineffective government policies and limited allocation of funds. On the relationship between the utilization of ICT and the performance of healthcare projects, the findings from the regression analysis revealed that use of electronic health records, telemedicine, health information systems, the internet and mobile health explains 73.3% of the performance of healthcare projects. The findings from correlation analysis further revealed that all variable tested had a positive relationship with the performance of healthcare projects and were all significant at 95% confidence level. The study concluded that the use of electronic health records, telemedicine, health information systems, the internet and mobile health influences the performance of healthcare projects. The study also recommends that organizations should train its staff and patients on the use of ICT in delivering and accessing healthcare services. This would improve the performance of healthcare projects. The study finally recommends that another study be carried to assess the use of ICT in the provision of healthcare services in hospitals.

Title Page

Certification/Declaration

Approval Page

Dedication

Acknowledgement

Abstract

Table of content

 

Chapter 1

Introduction

1:1 Introduction

1:2 Background of the Study

1:3 Statements of Problems

1:4 Objectives of the Study

1:5 Research Question

1:6 Study of the Hypothesis

1:7 Significance of the Study

1:8 Justification of the Study

1:9 Scope of the Study

1:10 Definition of Terms

 

Chapter 2

Literature Review

2:0 Introduction

2:1 Conceptual Clarification

2:2 Theoretical Framework

2:3 Literatures on the Subject Matter

 

Chapter 3

Research Methodology

3:0 Area of Study

3:1 Source of Data

3:2 Sampling Techniques

3:3 Method Data Collection

3:4 Method of Data Analysis

3:5 Reliability of Instrument

3:6 Validity of Instrument

3:7 Limitations of the Study

 

Chapter 4

Data Analysis

4:0 Introduction

4:1 Finding of the Study

4:2 Discussion of the Study

4:3 Summary

 

Chapter 5

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation

5:0 Summary of Findings

5:1 Conclusion

5:2 Recommendations

5:3 Proposal for Further Studies

 

CHAPTER ONE:

 INTRODUCTION

 

1.1 Background of the Study

The World Health Organization defines e-health as the combined use of electronic information and communication technology (ICT) in the health sector. For the purposes of this project, eHealth is considered to be the application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) across the whole range of functions that affect healthcare, from diagnosis to follow-up (Denise, 2003). According to a systematic review of evaluations of e-health implementations by Blaya et al. (2010), the greatest potential for e-health may lie in systems that improve communication between health care institutions, support medication ordering and management, and help monitor and improve patient compliance with care regimens.

 

EHealth covers the development and use of a wide range of ICT systems for healthcare such as electronic health records, telemedicine, health information systems, mobile devices, e-learning tools, and decision support systems (Gerber et al., 2010). The value of eHealth is in its ability to help lower costs in health sector while delivering better care within a citizen centered approach (Currie & Finnegan, 2009). Additionally, eHealth through the use of Personal Health Records (PHR) is a key factor in empowering patients and will help them to play an increasingly central and active role in their own healthcare (Markle, 2004).

 

The availability and quality of ICT services are growing rapidly across Africa, with mobile network coverage rising from 16% in the late 1990s to over 90% of its population in 2011. Growth in this sector has led to increased investments, decreased costs and rapid growth in technology-enabled services. However, these gains in ICT infrastructure have not as yet benefitted the health Sector in a systematic way as many of the project remain pilots. This study therefore seeks to assess the effect of ICT on the performance of healthcare projects in the Nigerian context.

Over the past years ICT has become a key resource in organizations from a wide array of industries and a driver of change in social and economic life (Hedman and Kalling 2002). The rapid development of ICT has allowed the information society to emerge especially through the usage of Internet and other wireless communications (Wang et al. 2006). As information and communication technologies develop and become more available it opens up new opportunities in the healthcare sector among other industries (Tornqvist 2000). Since the healthcare sector is information and knowledge intensive it is becoming clear that progression in ICT will be strongly linked to the development of core activities in healthcare (Tornqvist. 2000).

 

Modern ICT now offers new possibilities for improving most aspect within healthcare, from better access to integrated information of patients’ health, and with this delivering improved healthcare in its broadest sense (Juciute 2007). According to Greenberg (2005), pilot projects that have demonstrated improvements such as a 50% reduction in mortality or 25-50% increases in productivity within the healthcare system. As such, the use of ICT has improved dissemination of public health information, enabled remote consultation, facilitated collaboration and cooperation among health workers, supported more effective health research add the dissemination and access to research findings, strengthened the ability to monitor the incidence of public health threats and respond in a more timely and effective manner and improved the efficiency of administrative systems in health care facilities (Greenberg, 2005).

 

The use of ICT has therefore helped saving lives and resources and direct improvements in people’s health. In Peru, Egypt and Uganda, effective use of lCTs has prevented avoidable maternal deaths. In South Africa, the use of mobile phones has enabled TB patients to receive timely reminders to take their medication. In Cambodia, Rwanda, South Africa and Nicaragua, multimedia communication programs are increasing awareness of how to strengthen community responses to HIV and AIDS. In Bangladesh and India, global satellite technology is helping to track outbreaks of epidemics and ensure effective prevention and treatment can reach people in time (Chetley, 2006).

1.2 Statement of the Problem

To provide optimal care, healthcare institutions need timely patient information from various sources at the point-of-care, and need a comprehensive, complete and fully functional system to fulfill all these needs. One way to achieve this is through the use of ICT in health care. The introduction of the use of ICT in healthcare knows of failures and successes. Kuhn et al. (2001) allocate the success rate of a project as being 80 percent dependent on the development of the social and political interaction skills of the developer and 20 percent or less on the implementation of the hardware and software technology.

 

Different studies have been done on the use of ICT in e-health. Mukama (2003) studied health information systems at local levels in Tanzania and Mozambique where the findings revealed that a number of data collection tools are in use: patient cards, registers, tally sheets and forms. Musukwa (2011) studied user Perceptions on Electronic Medical Record System (EMR) in Malawi where he found that that users preferred using the EMR than paper based records and that overall, found it more effective and efficient. Ouma et al. (2013) did a study on implementing successful e-health implementations within developing countries. The findings revealed that just like in the majority of the developing nations, there are very few computers and e-health solutions that are currently used in the hospitals as a result of various challenges in Nigeria.

 

Ranta (2010) studied the role of ICT in improving productivity in the health care sector. As such, the study focused on the related problems and the reasons behind the slow adoption of ICT. The study found that despite its limits, the use of ICT affects the productivity in health care greatly, and has changed the process considerably. The study further found that with the help of ICT, the focus is moving from acute type of care towards more prevention and self-care which in the long run is obviously good for the economy as well as our health. This study therefore sought to answer the following research questions: what is the extent of the use of ICT in healthcare projects in Nigeria? what are the challenges facing the use of ICT in e-health projects and how does to use of ICT affect the performance of e-health projects?

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The general objective of the study was to investigate the impact of the use of ICT on the performance of the health care projects specifically to:

1. To establish the extent to which ICT is used in healthcare projects in Nigeria
2. To determine the key challenges in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in healthcare.
3. To Establish the relationship between the utilization of the ICTs and the performance of the healthcare projects

1.4 Importance of the Study

The findings of this study will be of importance to organizations running health projects that have adopted e-health technology. By highlighting on the challenges facing the use of ICT in e-health, the organizations will be at a position to come up with appropriate strategies aimed at minimizing the challenges.

 

The findings of this study will also be of importance to policy makers. Through the analysis of the challenges facing the use of ICT in the provision of e-health, policy makers will be at a position to come up with policies aimed at reducing the challenges. This will improve the accessibility of healthcare services among patients.

 

This study will also be of importance to other scholars. By contributing the existing literature on e-health, the study will form a basis upon which other studies will be done. It will also help in creating knowledge gaps giving other researchers opportunities to contribute to the existing literature on e-health.

 

 

 

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